Guardian
by TheShoelessOne
Summary: CainDG. At a ball held to honor the heroes of the double eclipse, Cain receives the most important appointment of his life: to protect and defend the princesses of the O.Z. COMPLETE!
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

Azkadellia ordered her tower to be demolished. She asked DG to help pull her wheelchair to the crest of a nearby hillock so that they could watch the implosion. Just the two of them, sisters reunited after years of darkness and not knowing. Az was quiet, her hair tame and left to hang loose over her shoulders and her face paler than usual. Her dress was subdued, something borrowed from her mother. DG stubbornly refused to wear anything but pants.

Huffing at the work, DG and the wheelchair containing her sister arrived atop the hill ingloriously and covered in sweat. However, the younger sister smiled down at the elder, and they grasped hands. No black leather gloves this time—flesh met familiar flesh.

"You need to lose some weight," DG warned, leaning heavily on the top of the wheelchair to catch her breath. For a moment, Az looked terrified and gazed down at herself. DG was quick to laugh. "No, I didn't mean it. I just need to work out a little more. Especially if I'm gonna be carting you all around the O.Z."

"I'll get better," Az insisted. She put on her best strong face and straightened her spine. DG smiled minutely.

"I know. And I'll stick around to make sure you don't roll down a hill while no one's looking." She hadn't realized how easy talking with her estranged, formerly evil sister would be. It was as simple as talking to herself.

"Well, at least I have that," Az said, a smirk taking hold of her unpainted lips.

Together, they gazed out over the scarred landscape that had formed around the base of the looming, foreboding tower. No more Longcoats doing their best high-steps, no more oppressive shows of power. It was all empty and dust, which blew away wistfully in the breeze. DG turned to Az with a short little sigh.

"You don't have to do this, you know."

"I do, Deege," Az responded, kneading her hands. "The O.Z. isn't going to forget all those annuals of fear, but I'm going to help every little bit I can. The tower doesn't mean anything to me anymore." She paused, and her eyes grew distant and sad. "It never meant anything to _me_."

DG watched her sister carefully for a moment, and then nudged her shoulder playfully. "C'mon, cheer up. The fireworks are about to start."

Az nodded and clasped her hands in her lap without another word. DG crouched on the ground beside the wheeled chair, folded her legs beneath her, and settled in to watch. She'd never seen a building imploded in her life—why not start with the biggest tower she'd ever seen? She held her fingers in her ears and looked encouragingly up at her big sister. Azkadellia smiled and copied DG's movements.

"Here goes nothing," she murmured.

As if the demolition team had heard her, small puffs of what appeared to be smoke appeared at the base of the tower. They grew larger, slowly, and the sound finally echoed up to DG and Az on top of the hill. A series of rumbling blasts reached them far after the charges had been detonated. A sound not unlike crumbling rock caught their ears, no matter how well plugged they appeared to be. At last, dust and particles of rock rose from the base of the tower as the midsection began crumbling. Azkadellia's face was immovable as she watched it collapse in upon itself. All the years of her own personal darkness were going down with it. The sound only increased in intensity as the top of the tower came rushing down to meet the ground. It crashed and fragmented into unrecognizable shapes, and was finally gone.

Az finally breathed out, unaware that she had been holding it in until then. DG whistled and clapped her hands in celebration. Faint cries of victory could be heard from below, where the demolition team stood behind blast-proof walls constructed solely for the destruction of the tower.

"Oh, that felt so good," Az murmured, leaning back into the wheelchair as if spent. "Like I'm destroying the last bit of her inside of me."

"She doesn't stand a chance," DG claimed proudly. "With you and me together, there's nothing that can stop us."

Az smiled warmly, something that didn't seem as foreign as it should have. "Let's hope so."

DG stood, stretching herself out slightly, and laid a hand on the wheelchair. Az raised a hand to place it over that of her sister. "Not yet," she said lowly. "I don't want to go back yet. Will you stay up here with me for just a little longer?"

"What kind of sister would I be if I didn't?" DG asked. She sat back down beside the chair and simply stared out across the landscape.

Dust rose in a dirty plume into the blue sky from the ruins of the tower. Black dots moved about in the valley between their hill and the ex-tower, signifying human activity. Azkadellia watched the back of her sister's head for a silent moment of contemplation.

"Mother told you about the ball, didn't she?" Az asked at last.

DG nodded. "Yeah. She's had a gaggle of women at my door day and night trying to take my measurements. I'll tell you what," DG said, turning to face her sister and holding up a single finger, "this will be the first time I've worn a real dress since senior prom."

Az simply blinked in return, confusion reigning on her face. DG waved the comment off.

"Never mind. Let's just say it's been a really long time."

"I'm sure it will look fabulous," Az assured her.

"I just hope it's not all leather and corsets," DG muttered. Azkadellia laughed a surprising full laugh, and DG joined her with pleasure. "What is it, in a week?" She asked once she had regained composure.

Az nodded. "To honor the Heroes of the Double Eclipse. The date had to be arranged with the movements of the freedom fighters." DG's smile grew suddenly soft, but Az continued on. "Mother also said that she wants to fill a few of the empty positions while we're all gathered together."

As DG stared off in the distance, pretending to be interested in the felled tower, Azkadellia smiled knowingly. "Your friends have all been invited._All_ of them."

"That's not a lot," DG muttered, looking at the pebbles on the ground as if they meant something profound to her.

"I think you'll be pleasantly surprised, little sister. Now, come on." She signaled for DG to stand. "We're princesses; we don't have time to fool around watching towers implode."

"I aim to please," DG said as she pulled herself up off of the ground. She was more careful on the way down the hill, making sure not to dump her weakened sister into the unforgiving dirt. The carriage was waiting on the road not far from their hill, and the horses stamped their hooves impatiently.

"Shall we be off, Your Highness?" the footman asked DG as he opened the door to the carriage. Together, they helped Azkadellia out of the chair and into the cushioned interior of their ride.

"Yes," DG announced, trying to figure out how to fold up the wheelchair. The footman stepped in.

"Allow me, Highness," he said, and he folded it as simply as if it were paper. As he stowed it on the back with other assorted cargo, DG sighed, running a hand through her hair.

"Back home, then," she said, and as an afterthought quickly added, "please."

"As you wish, Your Highness."

"And take it easy this time," DG suggested. "We were bouncing around like jumping beans back here."

"Yes, Your Highness." The man bowed and disappeared to climb up onto the driver's seat. DG climbed in after her sister, sat directly beside her, and clutched her hand. Az squeezed back at only half strength.

"We need a vacation," DG sighed. Azkadellia laughed again, and DG was glad to see her eye bright and, for once, full of life.

* * *

AN: Well, due to popular demand on your part (and a pairing that won't leave my brain alone on my part) I've devised a full-length chapter fic for y'all. Yes, it will be CainDG, just to let everyone know before I get my wheels going. The prologue is kinda background/setup, so if you feel empty inside while reading it, I'm sorry. I promise it'll get better. And Cain will show up! YEY. I appreciate feedback and take it all to heart. As for Az (heh, that sounds funny) this is pretty much how I see her acting with the witch gone. I dunno, comments? Crit? I appreciate love and also const. crit, and most of all, I love you guys! STAY AWESOME. 


	2. Chapter 1: Being Taught to Dance Again

**Chapter One: Being Taught to Dance Again**

"This is so embarrassing," DG muttered, looking at herself in the mirror. Azkadellia sighed, cocking her head at her younger sister in question.

"You don't have to wear your ball gown today," Az reminded her. "We still have three days to pick it out."

"Well, good," DG said, trying to smooth down the ruffles that increased her hip size threefold. "I look like Scarlett O'Hara if she'd taken a couple hundred crazy pills. And gained fifty pounds just on her hips." She tested the laces of the bodice, wincing. "And am I supposed to be able to breathe? If not, it's doing its job."

"Who's Scarlett O'Hara?" Az asked, wheeling herself slowly over to the wardrobe mirror DG was using to inspect herself.

"No one," DG said quickly. She gave a soul-crushing sigh and dropped her hands to her side. "It'll have to do for today, I guess. Though I have no idea how the dance instructor is gonna get in five feet of me with this monstrosity on." She tried her hardest to smooth down the offensive ruffles. The dress itself was made of a shimmering green material and might have been pretty if not endowed with the biggest, most distracting ruffles DG had ever seen. Az touched DG's elbow only slightly, but the contact was enough.

"We have to teach you to dance properly," Az said, smiling in a soft way that DG had come to love. "You'll be doing it for the both of us."

DG's lips pressed into a sad, thin line. "I'm sure you'll feel better by the ball."

"Don't worry about it," Az demanded, her smile widening, though all the happiness had dropped out of it. "Come on, now, the ballroom isn't far." She had found the strength in her arms to wheel herself along on the flat surfaces of the palace, which saved DG's arms the overuse. The youngest sister hiked up her skirts to make sure she could maneuver her legs and took off after her.

The ballroom was obscenely large. It hovered overhead, like the ceiling of some immense cavern that seemed to disappear into nothingness far above. Pillars wider than three DGs standing side by side held up the high, buttressed ceiling, all painted in magnificent white. The floor was hard and made of marble, polished to a gleam, and stretched far across to the other side of the castle—or so it seemed to DG, whose experience with dances extended to the gymnasium of her backwater high school in dear old Kansas.

One wall was graced with beautiful paintings of men and women frozen in graceful dance while the other was lined with windows that touched both floor and ceiling, the view open to the sparkling lake outside. Large red curtains were tied back to let the sunshine of midday flood the ballroom floor, and the dust of misuse and age floated in the yellow beams.

Stairs occupied the far end of the room, leading up to an enormous painting of the royal family as it had been fifteen annuals past—the Queen with regal lavender eyes, seated in a satin-lined chair with her hair still black and luxurious; Ahamo, dressed in stately finery that DG found odd coupled with the face she associated with the Unwanted; young Azkadellia on her mother's right, her hands clasped before her and smiling the smile that DG treasured now with all her heart; young DG on her mother's left, standing before her father and looking the part of a perfect angel. DG's lips twitched up, shaking her head slightly.

Standing in the center of the room were two men, one tall and slightly gangly and the other short and edging on squat. She knew the shorter one immediately as her Tutor, having returned to his former post to help DG further her relationship with her magic. They spoke in low voices, but all at once, the taller man gave a bright laugh. She'd know that laugh anywhere. DG's eyes brightened, and she hitched her skirts up to run across the floor toward them. The tall man turned, smiling brightly as she arrived beside him.

"Glitch!" she cried fondly. As she threw her arms around his neck in familiar embrace, she laughed at her mistake. "I mean Ambrose."

"You can call me Glitch if you'd like, Highness," Ambrose said, squeezing her back fondly. DG took a step back from him to inspect the familiar stranger.

The zipper was gone. The scar of the operation was invisible under his hair, save for the very end of the red line of stitches, which poked through his hairline and onto his forehead. His hair was as tame as it would ever be, she guessed, and he had at least attempted to sweep it across his scar in what he must have assumed to be a dashing way. The black curls were washed and left to hang freely, giving the effect that it had grown longer. The greatest change was in his clothing, which was very fine. She thought of the picture hanging in the ice castle, and thought that this suit was much better suited to him.

"Don't you look swanky?" She asked, smiling brightly.

"Well, I try," Ambrose said, almost embarrassedly. "You look, uh…"

"Horrible, I know," she responded, picking at one of the disgusting ruffles at her hip. "Don't pretend you like it."

"Oh, good," he said with a slight sigh of relief. "As long as you said it first."

Azkadellia wheeled herself up behind DG, looking only slightly winded from her activity. "Little sister, I'd like you to meet your dance instructor."

DG's mouth dropped open. "No way. Glitch?"

The man shrugged in return, still grinning. "What can I say? I'm gifted with perfect rhythm."

"Getting that other half of your brain reinstalled sure didn't make you any more humble," she said, unable to wash away her smile. At last she broke and embraced him again. "You have _no_ idea how good it is to see you again!"

"I can take a hint," Ambrose muttered, trying to breathe through her vice grip. She let him go, apologizing quickly. "How about we get started, then?"

"Sounds like a plan, Ambrose." She looked apologetically at her bare feet. "We, uh, couldn't find any shoes that fit me in Az's closet."

"As long as you can remember how to do everything you learn today in three-inch heels, you should be fine," he said, holding out his hand to her.

"Sounds like a ball," DG said, rolling her eyes ever so slightly as she took Ambrose's hand and curtseyed politely. He bowed in return.

Azkadellia allowed Tutor to wheel her over to sit in the sunlight pouring in through one of the massive windows. He remained with her, both of them watching DG stumble her way through Glitch's instructions. Az leaned her cheek sadly on her hand, elbow anchored on the armrest of the wheelchair.

"She makes it look so easy," Az murmured.

"She's not _that_ good of a dancer yet," Tutor chuckled in return.

"No, not the dancing," she replied, looking up at him with sad eyes. "Starting again. She's taken everything we've given to her in stride. The only thing she's complained about is that awful dress."

"It is awfully garish."

"I blame the witch," Az mumbled scathingly.

Tinkling laughter escaped DG on the dance floor as Ambrose gave her a twirl. At that speed, even the ruffles didn't look so bad. Az looked back to her Tutor questioningly.

"How has he been? Since the operation?"

"He's done well, considering," Tutor responded. "The surgeon was phenomenal, and managed to connect most of the synapses and blood vessels on his first go. It took three surgeries in all." He sighed, shaking his head slightly. "We'll probably never get all of Ambrose back."

"Maybe that's for the best," Az said, straightening slightly. "DG doesn't remember Ambrose, and the way he walked with his nose in the air—like he owned it."

"The nose?" Tutor asked with a laugh. Az melted as well, chuckling in an effeminate way—something the witch would never have allowed.

"No, the air." She looked back at her little sister with nothing but fondness. "He's still half Glitch, and he's who she grew to be friends with." The terrible memory of standing over the table as her doctors ripped out half of Ambrose's brain flashed through her, and the smile fell off. "I owe so many people so much."

"Don't worry yourself, Princess Azkadellia," Tutor said, laying a comforting hand on her shoulder. "We only have the ball to worry about today. We can talk about apologies afterward."

"Agreed," Az said, a flicker of happiness coming back to life in her face. They shook hands on it, and turned back to watching DG learn how to dance again.

"Good gravy," Ambrose said, leading DG into the next step, "when was the last time you danced, DG?"

"About… three years ago," she said, obviously embarrassed. "Formally anyway. And the dress wasn't nearly this hideous."

"Well, we've got a lot to work on," he said, spinning her out again. "Right foot, not left, DG."

"Right. Gotcha." She watched her feet for a time, and tried to match his. "So why this sudden urge to get me on the dance floor?"

"Well," Ambrose said, twitching slightly in a way that reminded her of Glitch, "Tradition holds that the royal family begins the first dance with a partner of their choice. Granted, Azkadella—"

"Az," DG corrected. She was sure that the lengthened form of her sister's name would be associated with her reign of terror. Ambrose nodded, as if picking up on her thoughts.

"Az won't be able to dance in her condition, so of course she'll be excused. The Queen will, naturally, be dancing with her husband. It doesn't really matter who you dance with, DG, but everyone's eyes are going to be on _you_. You're the new kid, after all."

"Yeah," she mumbled. "That's me. And at this rate, I'm gonna make a fool out of myself in front of the whole O.Z."

"You're not doing… terrible," Ambrose said in a way he hoped was comforting.

"I can see through you like a window," she said, shaking her head and smiling.

"Sorry," he said, a familiar yet hauntingly new smile hovered on his lips. "I'm still getting the hang of this 'whole brain' thing. It's a little shocking at first."

"You're okay, though, right?" She asked, staring up at him concernedly. He waved her off.

"I'm fine. I think." He smiled widely, and suddenly Glitch was back. "Don't worry about me, I'll figure things out."

Just as she opened her mouth to speak, they waltzed right into a solid wall of man. He gave a loud "oof!" and doubled backwards, as if expecting them to halt before hitting him. DG spun around and Ambrose began to apologize, before they both recognized the tipped brim of a hat and smoky blue eyes.

"Cain!" The both said at the same time. Ambrose twitched again and cracked the heel of his palm against his temple to jog his synapses.

"Well, isn't this a happy little reunion?" Ambrose said at last.

Cain took off his hat and gave a slight bow. "Sorry if I interrupted something."

DG looked over her shoulder at her dance instructor, who shrugged, then back to Cain. "No," she said quickly. "I—what are you doing here?"

"So that's how you greet old friends, huh?" He nodded toward Ambrose. "Is that how you said hello to him, too?" He held one arm out wide, gesturing her in.

She smiled brightly at the invitation and practically leapt forward into his waiting embrace. With her arms around his neck, her bare feet managed to dangle centimeters off the ground, only slightly. When they broke apart, she was glad to find that he was smiling, even if it was only faintly.

"All right, _now_ what are you doing here?" She asked. "You didn't walk all the way across the O.Z. just for a hug."

"You caught me," he admitted, replacing his hat. "Me and Jeb are here for the ball in a couple days. Special invitation from your mother and everything. Bells and whistles included." He took a step back to inspect her dress. "That's got to be the most god-awful thing I've ever seen, kiddo."

"I know," she groaned. "So says everyone and his brother. Can we just leave it alone? I am _not _wearing this to the dance."

"_Do_ you know what you're wearing?" he asked nonchalantly.

"Not yet." She narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously. "Why?"

"Just trying to keep up with you, Princess," he said, half of his smile curling up slowly. He jerked a thumb at Ambrose. "What's the reformed zipperhead trying to teach you now?"

"How to dance," she grumbled. "I apparently have no rhythm."

"Well, then," Cain said, one thumb tucked into his belt as he surveyed the room, "we should work together, then, 'cause I'm in the same boat. No rhythm whatsoever."

"What…_you_, teach me to dance?" DG asked, knitting her brow.

"I'm not saying I'm qualified to teach royalty," he said, taking off his hat again and plopping it on Ambrose's head, "but you're running out of options pretty quick, here. You've only got a couple days before everyone's breathing down your neck for that first dance." He wriggled out of his overcoat and slung it across Ambrose's shoulders. He held out his hands to her, eyebrows arched in question.

Slowly, as if unsure of how two rhythm-less people were going to help each other at all, she took one of his hands and allowed him to lead her away onto the dance floor.

Ambrose appeared beside Tutor and Az in the light of the window. He placed Cain's jacket and hat on one of the nearby elaborate chairs, and then crossed his arms.

"Boy, he's pretty slick, isn't he?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" Tutor asked. Az was smiling, watching the two fumble with trying to dance out on the floor.

"He shows up out of nowhere and steals my dance," Ambrose said with a sideways smirk. "That's a Tin Man, for you."

Az shook her head. "We have _got_ to find her a decent dress."

"I hear you, sister," Ambrose said, sounding more like Glitch than ever for the first time that day.

"Ow, Cain, that's my foot!" They heard her exclaim from across the dance floor. A low, muttered apology was all he gave. They were both busy watching their feet, and Az had to hold in her laughter.

"This is going to be a very interesting ball," she said, looking up at her companions.

DG felt Cain shift his position, and she followed accordingly, as best she could. "I bet we look like a pair of idiots," she said in a low, near voice.

"I'm just glad you're not showing me up," he admitted. "I need a little bit of manly pride." They turned again, imitating every waltz they'd ever seen and defacing it miserably. "You'll be fine with Glitch—er, Ambrose—teaching you. I'm about as miserable as miserable can get."

"You're coming, aren't you?" She asked at once. "To the ball, I mean."

He nodded, looking up from his feet once to catch her eyes. "Me and Jeb are here at the castle until the ball's over and done with. I'll be there."

"Good," she said. Just as she did, she tripped over a foot he'd forgotten to remove from her path, and the terrible ruffled dress caught under her toes. In the same instant, she went sprawling forward and her dress tore loudly in the empty room. Cain's arms, already close, shot out and grabbed her before she could meet the hard floor with her face, but it was too late to save the dress. As he cradled her, her back to his chest, one long rip from the hem of the dress up to the ruffles around her navel appeared.

"You all right?" Cain asked as Ambrose came galloping over.

"Yeah, but I can't say the same for the dress." The slit went up the side of her leg, exposing the bare flesh from her toes up to her thigh, and she sighed darkly. "It might actually be an improvement."

Cain's eyes, she noticed, were anywhere but on her. "Better get back to the dressing room. Looks like the dancing lesson is over." Ambrose took one of DG's hands and helped pull her back up to full height.

"For now, anyway," Ambrose said, also ignoring the skin she was baring to the world. "C'mon, let's you and your sister get back to change." He ushered her off toward Az, who had wheeled herself closer in concern. "Don't think you're off the hook yet, young lady!" he called after her.

She looked over her shoulder as she and her sister left the ballroom, red and laughing together. She saw that only Cain remained in the center of the room, and as he saw her turn back to him, he raised his hand in farewell. She was too far away to read his face, but she raised her hand back and waved.

* * *

AN: Howdy folks! Seeing the immense response to my doing a chapter fic, I thought it was about time I updated it. Huzzah for Cain! Sorry, had to say it. He almost wasn't gonna show up in this chapter either, but he popped in while my brain was away doing other things, and he stayed. As for Glitch/Ambrose, I've tried to find a good medium between the glitchy guy we all know and love and the incredibly intelligent man who used to be the Queen's top aide. Since it's so soon after the operation, I figured he was still more Glitch than anything. Tell me what you think! Hope I haven't scared y'all away, for I plan on continuing soonly! Thanks much for reading thus far, and don't forget to stay awesome! 


	3. Chapter 2: The Ball

**Chapter Two: The Ball**

"DG, open the door," Ahamo said, knocking his fist slightly harder against the door of his daughter's room.

"No!" She answered back, her voice muffled but defiant. "There's _no_ way I'm going out there!"

"Darling, we're set to arrive together in the ballroom in twenty minutes," he said loudly to penetrate the door blocking them. "Most everyone is already in there."

"I'm not ready! I'll never be ready…" She trailed off into a frustrated growl, and something clattered to the ground inside the room. She swore in a very unladylike fashion, and Ahamo winced.

"I'm sure you look beautiful, DG."

"That's kinda the problem, Dad," she shouted back. She rustled past the door, stomping in flat, bare feet.

"DG?" The Queen asked quietly as she approached. Ahamo took a step away from the door to inspect his wife. She was dressed in a beautiful, thin lavender dress that seemed as natural as a second skin on her. It seemed to sparkle on its own without decoration, and despite the recent turn of events, he smiled at her.

"She's refusing to come out. And I think she threw something at the door."

"Oh, DG," the Queen sighed, shaking her head. Ahamo gestured for her to take the front lines, and they exchanged places. "DG, my darling?" She knocked lightly on the door as she raised her voice to be heard.

"Nice try, mother," DG replied. "But I'm not about to go out there and make a fool out of myself. Get someone else to pretend they're a princess!"

"Pretend, nothing," Ahamo cut in. "You're as real a princess as they come."

"I don't feel like a princess," she muttered back.

The Queen and Ahamo exchanged a sad glance. Inside her room, DG decided to throw something else, and it clattered harmlessly to the ground. Ahamo laid a hand on his wife's shoulder, something sparking up behind his eyes. "I think I have an idea. Keep her occupied, and keep trying to get her out. I'll get backup."

"Backup?" The Queen asked, but her husband had already taken off down the hallway. She bit her lip and turned back to the door.

Ahamo took the left turn necessary and then a right, taking him to the backroom at the very far end of the ballroom, behind the enormous painting of the royal family. Several people were already waiting there, waiting to escort or be escorted down the steps and onto the ballroom floor.

Azkadellia was there, dressed in a fine, soft green dress that complimented her eyes. She was still seated, but there was a flush of life in her cheeks that spoke of a strength that was not there a week ago. She was speaking softly with another familiar face—Raw, the viewer, who had arrived as per the Queen's special request. His dirty hair had been cleaned and swept back from his face especially for the night, and the suit of furs that he sported was surprisingly tasteful. His smile was soft and kind, and he held Az's hand in both of his paws comfortingly.

Farther back in the room stood Ambrose, bedecked in the maroon of the royal aides with fine golden brocade on the front of his long jacket. The toggles were also gold, and fastened all the way up to his neck. His hair was coiffed, but the smile was Glitch's: somewhat childish and always bright. His eyes flicked up as Ahamo entered, and his smile faltered slightly. He mouthed the word "DG?" in question, and Ahamo shook his head as minutely as possible. Ambrose pointed to his chest, shrugging. Ahamo mimed the brim of a hat across his forehead in response. Ambrose's eyebrows shot up, and he nodded.

After the gangly man had dived into the crowd, he emerged a moment later pulling a confused Wyatt Cain after him. All Ambrose did, as way of explaining, was point to Ahamo, who motioned for Cain to follow him out the back door. Cain clapped Ambrose on the shoulder and took off after Ahamo.

The Queen looked up sharply as two sets of clicking boots ran toward her and the door to her daughter's room. Ahamo arrived first, only slightly winded. Cain was unfazed. He looked from one parent to the other.

"What's going on?" he asked, getting right to the point.

"DG won't leave her room," Ahamo said, throwing up his arms. "She won't listen to either of us, and we're being announced in ten minutes."

"All she tells us is that she isn't ready," the Queen added, her pretty face full of sadness. Cain nodded, looking to the door.

"You'll probably want to back up, Majesties," he said as politely as possible. Throwing each other questioning glances, they both backed against the wall holding DG's door, a good five feet away, hidden from view of the doorway.

Cain rapped his knuckles hard on DG's door. "I said go away!" came her response.

"It's me," was all Cain said. Silence followed his voice, as if DG was contemplating something. After another moment, he sighed. "C'mon, kiddo, open up. I _will_ break the door down if I have to. You know I will."

The Queen opened her mouth to protest, but Ahamo silenced her with a finger to her lips. She soon found out why. She heard DG's bare footsteps cross the room slowly, and the lock suddenly disengaged. It opened only a crack, and the parents couldn't see inside at all. All they saw was Cain, and the way his face softened when he got a look at the girl inside.

"You look like a train wreck, Princess," he said.

"I know," she said with a slight frog in her voice.

"Why don't we get someone in here to help—"

"No," she said quickly. They saw her hand come out from inside and take him by the upper arm. "I don't need all those crazy women buzzing around in here." She pulled him inside without another word, and the door closed and locked behind them.

The Queen lowered her gaze at her husband. "Is this what your grand idea entailed?"

"Not exactly," he muttered back, looking slightly surprised himself. They both moved close to the door and pressed their ears up against it.

Cain cast an eye about the room as DG passed him by to step further in. It was meant for a girl much younger than she was, but, he supposed, the last time she had slept in it she _had_ been much younger. The bed sported a canopy supported by tall, curving wooden posts. The bed was enormous, but so was the one he had slept in for the past two nights in the visitor's wing. The spread was both white and red, mingling into pinks where they touched. All along the walls were pictures of days DG may or may not have remembered, and the tiny, grinning face of the girl as a child. Before he could get a better picture of the room in his eye, the living DG stood at the foot of her bed and turned around to face him.

Her face had been made up, and her hair tied and twisted up behind her head in a bun that didn't suit her. Her lips were painted bright red to match the dress she wore for the ball. It didn't hold a single ruffle. Instead, it seemed to shimmer and shine like liquid, and the light refracted off of her as if she were a fiery lake at calm. The dip of the neck was low, but not too low, and it hung off of her shoulder just enough to expose the curve into her arm. In one hand, she held heeled shoes meant for her to wear, and they matched the color of her ensemble.

The only thing wrong were the streaks the tears had made down her face, and her hair had come out in spots, sticking out like spots of tall grass. However, her chin was strong and defiant, as if she refused to let him see her cry.

"What're you doing in here, DG?" Cain asked, gesturing around the room. A hairbrush, as well as several items from the vanity, had ended up on the floor. She shook her head, breathing through her nose to calm herself.

"I'm not ready to go out there, Mr. Cain," she said, her posture sagging.

"We can fix your makeup real quick—"

"No, not like that. I'm not ready to… _parade_ myself in front of all those people and pretend that I'm their princess." She sat heavily on the foot of the bed, letting her shoes fall to the floor. She glanced up at him, allowing a slight smirk to flick onto her lips. "You look nice, by the way."

"You think so?" He held out his arms and looked down on himself with an appraising eye. "Jeb picked it out. I was just gonna wear what I always do." He smiled with raised eyebrows. "I think he didn't want me to embarrass him."

"I miss the hat," she said.

"Me too," he grumbled back.

She took in his outfit again with a look she hoped that he didn't notice. She was unused to seeing him in anything other than rugged outdoors wear, so a suit was a bit of a jarring experience. It was full black, pants and jacket. It was unbuttoned, as she expected it to be, to expose a pressed, gray-blue shirt that reminded her of liquid mercury. It matched his eyes. The top button of his shirt was undone, and there wasn't a bowtie or cravat to be seen. She smiled slightly—he hated to feel buttoned-up, and tonight seemed to be no exception.

"What?" He asked at last, dropping his hands to his side. She looked to her bare feet swinging over the side of the bed. She didn't answer. Cain shoved his hands in his pockets, shifting nervously, then walked the short distance to the bed. "Look, DG…" He sat slowly down on the bed beside her, listening to the springs interject his silence.

"Are you gonna give me 'the talk'?" She asked, looking at her knees and the way they moved under her dress.

"Well, not sure which one you're talking about, but I'm gonna give you _one_ of them, anyway." He opened and closed his mouth twice in attempts to think his line of thought through. "There's a lot of people out there who're looking forward to seeing you, maybe getting a chance to meet you. You know why?"

"Because they think I'm something I'm not?" she muttered.

"Cut that out," he ordered, and she pressed her mouth shut. "They know exactly who you are, DG, and a couple hair pins and some lip paint isn't gonna change that. Just 'cause you're in a nice red dress doesn't change the fact that _you_ saved the O.Z. from the witch. You and your sister. Even if you weren't a princess, that'd be enough for me to want to shake your hand."

She paused, watching her toes mingle in the carpet. "And you're not just saying that because my parents are waiting outside?"

"It's not about what they want, DG. Remember what you told Raw on invasion day?" He placed his arm around her shoulders and jostled her slightly.

She smiled at last, pressing her hand light against her chest where her heart rested. "Everything I need is right here."

"Right," he said, nodding to double his affirmation. "Besides, if you don't come out, who else is gonna dance with the stuffy old Tin Man?"

She shook her head and darted in for a quick embrace. She rested her forehead where his neck met his shoulder and just let the moment pass.

"All right," he said after an elongated minute. "Let's do something about you." He patted her back and they both stood off of the bed together.

In no time at all, the door to DG's room opened again. The Queen and Ahamo had retreated back against the wall, and both peered around the open door to see who was stepping out. The young princess exited first, turning sheepishly to her parents, followed by the stoic Tin Man, who closed the door behind them. DG's hair had been taken down out of the unflattering bun and hung half-up, half down, with pretty black curls dangling on her exposed shoulders. There was no sign that she had ever cried, let alone that night. The Queen smiled brilliantly, and Ahamo pulled his daughter into an embrace.

"There's not much time left," Ahamo said, conveying his thanks to Cain through his eyes alone. "Come on, we should be announced any minute now."

They entered the back room, all four together, and there seemed to be a simultaneous breath of relief from all gathered inside. The Queen hailed the young page, who bowed, bobbed, and rushed out to the other side of the curtain separating them from the ballroom. Cain and DG were quickly joined by Ambrose and Raw, who both exchanged hugs with the girl.

"DG looks lovely," Raw said, his lips curling pleasantly.

"And so do you, sir," she said, grinning from ear to ear. "And you too, Ambrose."

"You don't have to be formal with me, DG," Ambrose said, looking at his feet, but at the same time looking quite pleased.

"Your attention, please!" The voice of the page was loud enough to hush the crowd outside the curtain, in the ballroom. "If you would all direct your attention to the stairs, it is my pleasure to introduce to you, your royal family and their esteemed guests." A loud round of applause followed, and DG ushered her friends off to find their own women to escort.

"Introducing Queen Lavender, and her consort Lord Ahamo."

The Queen blew a kiss over her shoulder at her girls, linked arms with Ahamo, and disappeared through the curtain to a rapturous round of applause. There were cries of praise for the long-missing queen. DG felt Cain tug lightly on her elbow, and she followed him to the start of the queue. In the quiet following, he offered his arm to her, and she smiled warmly. As she placed her arm in his, she silently mouthed the words "thank you." He shrugged as if it were nothing, and mouthed "anytime" back to her.

"Introducing Princess DG, and her escort Wyatt Cain, Tin Man."

The curtain was pulled back for them, and Cain took the first step forward. She followed, straightening her back. Before them, the ballroom seemed to go on forever. Somewhere, someone shined a spotlight on them as they made for the stairs. The sound of applause caught her off guard, and she saw now that the room was full to the gills of the various peoples of the O.Z. They were all looking at her, smiling, and cheering for her. She smiled back, but her grip on Cain's arm increased.

"Watch your step," he whispered in her ear as they came to the first step. She looked down, made sure her heeled shoe hit the step just right, and began her trip down. He was there to make sure she didn't stumble. "Hey, give 'em a wave."

"Why?" she whispered back, not taking her eyes off the crowd.

"Why not?"

She grudgingly raised one hand in the air to wave, and the clapping increased twofold, and someone began whistling their joy. She blushed brightly, nearly matching the hue of her dress, but she continued waving.

They reached the bottom of the stairs without a hitch, and Cain led her to stand beside her mother and father. They turned as one, still attached at the arms, and watched the curtain carefully. They both knew who would be coming down those stairs next.

"Presenting Princess Azkadellia, escorted by Raw of the viewer peoples."

The curtain pulled aside to reveal Raw pushing Az's wheelchair out onto the landing. There was a loud hush following the announcement, and a spotlight hovered on the two newcomers. Raw maneuvered Az to the first step, and said something quiet to her. She smiled, held up a hand, which he took. With great effort, she pulled herself up out of the wheelchair.

At first, no one clapped. There were no cheers. Apprehensive glances were sent sideways to one another. But DG stepped forward, out of Cain's grasp, and began to clap loudly. Mother, father and escort joined her quickly. Around them, the crowd slowly began to take cue to applaud. Cain stuck his fingers in his mouth and whistled loudly. This caused a small smattering of laughter, and the clapping grew. No one cheered, but the smile that broke over Az's face was worth everything. As Raw carefully began to lead her down the steps, she looked as if she were about to cry.

Cain joined Raw at the foot of the steps and helped to intercept the weakened Princess Azkadellia. She thanked them as they took her to a nearby chair and set her delicately down.

"They hate me," she muttered as they stood up to let her sit on her own. Raw shook his head.

"Not hate Azkadellia," he said, squeezing her hand. "Not know what to think. Annuals of darkness, and now Azkadellia is lovely and fair. Raw understands confusion."

Her smile was ephemeral, but it was there. "Thank you, Raw. And you, Mr. Cain."

"Not a problem, Highness." He reached up to tip his hat and quickly brought his hand back down upon remembering he didn't have it on. She smiled brighter then.

"Introducing Jeb Cain, leader of the Freedom Fighters and his escort Emma Bradley of the same Freedom Fighters."

Cain's head shot up just as DG joined him by Az. On top of the stairs, the light shone down on his son and the girl he had brought with him to the ball. She had been introduced to Cain as Jeb's girlfriend. She was a pretty young redhead, younger than DG, and she wore a lovely green dress. Beside her, Jeb beamed. The Queen had commissioned uniforms for all the companies of the Freedom Fighters, Jeb's included. He cleaned up nicely, Cain noticed, and even with the crowd clapping for him he didn't bat an eye. He noticed his father amongst the crowd of royals and raised his hand to wave. Cain waved back, a thin smile on his face. Faces turned to him, and he wished that he had his hat to avoid their inquisitive stares.

The procession continued for only a short time, and Ambrose was the last to come down the stairs, leading another of the Queen's aides. He almost lost his footing on the stairs and embarrassedly made his way down and over to where the others had crowded.

"I'm gonna remember _that_ for the rest of my life," Ambrose muttered, his entire face red up to his ears. "Tripping at a royal ball. I'll never hear the end of it."

DG squeezed his arm encouragingly. "I'll make sure to dance like a fool, so they'll forget all about you. Sound like a deal?"

"DG," Ambrose muttered, looking even further embarrassed.

He was interrupted, however, as the Queen moved to the foot of the stairs to make her announcement. She raised her hands, and the page called for silence again. Lavender folded her hands and gazed out among her people.

"It comes to my attention that I have spaces to fill in my royal council, among other things. While we are here to celebrate the victory against darkness and the heroics of the few brave people who stood up to it, I believe that we should honor them with appointments appropriate to their works." There was a short smattering of applause, and she turned to the small group that had gathered around Azkadellia. "Ambrose, would you join me, please?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," Ambrose said with a quick bob in her direction. He stood by her side, his ears still red, and smiled as best he could. He hoped that no one caught his hands fidgeting behind his back.

"Ambrose, you served the O.Z. by giving up that which was most precious to you. While it was used for purposes against your wishes, you still stood up against the darkness with what you had left. Your intellect, your dear brain, is what you gave to keep your loyalty intact. That means more to me than you know, dear Ambrose."

A Glitch-like smile stole across his face, and his shoulders settled slightly. "I did what I thought was right, Your Highness."

"And for that, you deserve highest commendation. Ambrose, I would like you to retake your post as my personal aide and advisor."

"Gladly," he said. "Anything you'd give me, I'd take, Your Highness."

"Then accept it with dignity," she said, smiling herself. Ambrose nodded, bobbing again enthusiastically.

"Dignity. Advisory. I got it."

As Glitch returned, the Queen beckoned to the viewer by Az's side. "Raw, my good friend, please come to me."

Raw made his humble approach, wary of the eyes and lights upon him. "Yes, Highness?"

"Raw, the courage that you showed in the protection of your kinsmen and your country bring you something that no one could ever give. That is a gift that you take for yourself. What I offer you is paltry in comparison."

Raw looked at his feet, but the Queen placed a friendly hand on his shoulder.

"I ask you to join our advisory council as a representative for all the free peoples of the O.Z. Your empathetic heart and kind voice are exactly what politic needs in a time of rebirth. Will you accept?"

"Raw very flattered," he said. "Yes."

"Thank you," the Queen responded, kindness in her lavender eyes.

Cain knew his turn was coming, the way things were going. As Raw passed him, Cain clapped him on the shoulder, offering an encouraging smile. Raw returned the expression, holding onto the man's wrist.

"Tin Man will accept," he said receptively, "to protect what he cares for most."

Cain flashed him a strange look just as he heard the queen calling to him.

"Wyatt Cain, please step forward," she asked. He took a great breath of air and strode forward out of the crowd and into the center of attention. He bowed as he approached.

"That's me, Your Highness."

She chuckled lightly. "You know what I am going to say to you already, don't you, Mr. Cain?"

"Something about my losses and what I gave up to protect the little princess, I'm guessing," he said. Light laughter followed his comment.

"You're right in most respects, Mr. Cain," she said at last. "You risked your life to protect my dear lost daughter, DG. You put her safety before your own goals, no matter how important they were to you. That is the mark of a true, brave and loyal man, one that is hard to find anywhere."

"You're gonna make me blush, Highness," Cain said, shuffling slightly. More twitters of laughter surrounded them, and Cain could distinguish DG's colorful giggle from among them.

"I'm afraid all I can give you, Mr. Cain, is a question. I ask you this: will you assume that role again for me? To protect not only DG, but also her sister? I ask you only to protect that which I care for most in the world, Mr. Cain. In turn, you will be referred to as Royal Guardian, and live in the palace—and your son, if he so wishes."

Cain remained silent for some time, his eyes searching the crowd. They fell on Jeb and Emma, who were clutching hands and smiling encouragement up at him. Jeb was nodding slowly, almost imperceptibly. He found Az, still seated, holding DG's hand close with her own. Their connection glowed slightly in the dimmed corner of the ballroom. She was watching him with a bright, hopeful expression. Her eyes flicked up to the sister standing beside her. DG looked completely shocked by her mother's question, and her eyes had not left Cain since it had been asked.

His eyes remained on her as he nodded. "Yeah. I'll do it." He looked away suddenly, back to the Queen, and smiled. A secluded round of applause went up from those close enough to hear.

"Then kneel," she said calmly. Cain took to one knee, wincing only once as his joints cracked. The Queen took a scepter from the page beside her and touched it to Cain's shoulder. "With the power I have been given, I bestow the title of Royal Guardian to you, Wyatt Cain, and what power comes with it."

After she removed the scepter from his shoulder, he stood, brushing off the knees of his pants. He and the Queen exchanged a smile, and his eyes flicked over to the two girls now suddenly under his protection. One sat tall with a pleased look on her pretty face, the other stood beside her, still slightly open-mouthed. He raised his eyebrows back at the Queen and lowered his voice to a personal level. "Isn't there a dance here tonight?"

She nodded in a small way, and Cain bowed again as he left her side. He pulled up a seat beside the princesses and sat without a word. She made few more appointments, including Jeb as the head of the military advisors that sat on her board. He accepted with as much dignity as Ambrose had. As soon as she had finished with the remaining appointments and honors, she cued the orchestra to start the first song. DG remembered what Ambrose had told her with an alarmed chime somewhere deep in her mind.

Azkadellia claimed that the dignified walk down the stairs had winded her, and kindly declined Raw's invitation to dance, and Ambrose's as well. Jeb and Emma, as well as the Queen and Ahamo, had already retreated to the empty dance floor.

"Well," Cain said, suddenly standing. He said nothing more, and held out his hand toward DG. She looked down at Az, who only nodded. There was something new on her face as she took Cain's hand, something that she couldn't place. He led her to the dance floor, accompanied by a few heated whispers they left in their wake. DG swallowed the nervousness that had taken hold of her throat.

"This is a bad idea," DG muttered, looking at her gargantuan heels that seemed to have grown seven inches since she remembered the first dance was to be only royalty. He turned to face her once they were out in the open and walked backwards for a few paces.

"Don't worry," he said, setting a hand on her waist just above her hip. She nearly jumped, as if his fingertips had been full of live electricity, and she tried to curse away the sudden flush of heat in her cheeks. "I'll make sure you don't fall. What's a Royal Guardian for?"

The song started up, very slowly—too slowly. Slowness encouraged closeness. Her free hand moved up to his shoulder, and then cleared her mind with a long, steady breath.

"Try not to step on my toes this time, Tin Man," she said. She smiled, and all the tension was gone.

"Back at you, Princess," he muttered back, already staring concernedly at her heels and imagining how they would feel piercing through the flesh of his foot. She laughed lightly, and allowed him to take her into the first steps of their waltz. Their rhythmless dance was the talk of the ball.

* * *

AN: So, uh, this is probably the longest chapter I've written for anything, and I apologize. There was just so much to saaay... Here is where the story really begins, the other two were just warm-ups. I hope I didn't get too wordy and ruin everything. BWAH I love writing these guys. Specially Cain. Ahamo is delightfully awkward sometimes. heheh.Anyway, tell me what you think, if I need to change anything, or other such things. If nothing else, leave some love. Oh yes, and stay awesome! 


	4. Chapter 3: A Ball Interrupted

**Chapter Three: A Ball Interrupted**

The night crawled on around them. DG shook hands and smiled and accepted words of praise and thanks for her bravery in the tower. Cain stood by her side, an ever-hovering influence of safety and warmth just at her elbow. She met foreign dignitaries from lands she'd never heard of, representatives of peoples who she had helped to save without knowing. She was asked to dance several times, and acquiesced only once.

"You're exactly like him, you know," DG said, trying her hardest not to stumble on her heels. She was doing just fine, Cain had told her, but she didn't believe an inch of it. Jeb smiled back, something that was different from the way his father smiled. Cain's was slow, almost troubled, but kind and full of meaning beyond what he chose to convey. Jeb was more forthright, baring his emotion right upon his face to let the girl know exactly what he felt.

"I didn't know he was alive for so many years," Jeb said, wary of his toes after seeing the display between DG and his father nearly an hour earlier. "But I still ended up just like him. At least, that's what everyone's been so enthusiastic to tell me."

He shot a look over his shoulder, to where his father, ever the gentleman, had refused to let Jeb's date stand alone against the wall. He was dancing in his careful way with redheaded Emma, and he gave a minute wave as DG and Jeb waltzed into view. They returned the gesture, and DG suppressed a very girlish giggle.

"You remembered him, though, didn't you?" She asked, looking back to Jeb. "Before you were taken away."

"Yeah," Jeb answered with a nod. "He was always the strong one, and never let anyone know when he was hurting. But he loved so spectacularly." He paused, an odd look surfacing on his face, and he laughed at once. "That sounded…weird."

"Just a little," DG admitted. "But your dad? Really?" She glanced his way again, and he appeared to be having quite the lovely conversation with Emma.

"You wouldn't believe it now, but he was the most loving father and husband on the force, maybe all of the central O.Z. He'd go out of his way just for the little things, and that made all the difference in the world."

DG's smile turned up slowly, and Jeb laughed again. "I see," he said cryptically.

"What?" DG asked, squeezing his hand and blinking her eyes rapidly in her proven form of interrogation. "What, Jeb?"

"Seems he's made a little difference somewhere else, is all." The song trilled to an end, and Jeb spun DG daintily, causing her to laugh and nearly trip over herself. He bowed and thanked her for the dance. She curtseyed in reply. Jeb returned to Emma's side, kissing her on her cheek much to her delight. They exchanged words with Cain, who only nodded, and made the sign of tipping his invisible hat to the two. Before they walked away into the crowd, Cain clapped his son on the shoulder and flashed him a 'thumbs-up' that made DG giggle unexpectedly.

Cain looked up, hearing her laughter, and decided to saunter over to where Jeb had left her. "What's so funny?"

She shook her head, smiling, and held out her hand. "Nothing, O Royal Guardian. Now come on." He raised his eyebrows in question, and she tilted her head back out at the dance floor. "I think I'm getting the hang of it."

Halfway through the ball, Azkadellia found her second wind. She smiled politely as Ambrose pulled her to her feet and escorted her carefully to the dance floor. Heads turned and whispers started, but they paid them absolutely no heed.

"Don't listen to them, Highness," Ambrose said as he bowed deeply before pulling her in to begin their dance. "They're just jealous I've finally got the prettiest girl here to dance."

"You're too kind, Ambrose," she said, curtseying and allowing him to lead her. "Literally."

"Nonsense!" He countered enthusiastically. "They'll have to get used to you sooner or later, won't they? Why not make sooner now?"

"I don't think one little dance is going to change their minds," Az said, following his steps with far more ease than the untrained DG. "But thank you." Her lips turned up, and Ambrose nodded at his feet.

"I do what I can, Highness," he said.

"Az," she corrected. "Just Az is fine."

He twitched slightly as one of his synapses misfired, and a jovial grin broke over his formerly stoic face. "All right, Az it is. Az-ka-dee, a Princess she." His eyebrows turned down, and he looked confusedly at her for a moment. "Did I just rhyme?"

"You did," she said, nodding. She held a hand to her chest. "Could we slow down a bit, Ambrose? I don't think…I'm not quite ready for the farandole."

"Right," he said, quickly adjusting to a slower tempo for his feet. He looked up and out over the dance floor, and he smiled again at the sight he caught out of the corner of his eye. "Hey, take a look at that."

"What?" She turned to look in the direction he nodded his head, and the smile that took her lips was honest and kind and warm.

They nearly ceased dancing as they turned to watch two of the other dancers left on the floor. DG's eyes were closed, tired from the long day and the exhausting introductions. Her head lay placidly on Cain's shoulder, and her feet moved slowly amongst his, almost dragging. He held both arms around her, to be sure she didn't fall to the floor in her languidness. What Ambrose noticed most of all, however, were Cain's eyes. They were sharp, alert, and always watching. The girl in his arms was his to protect, and he seemed to be taking his new appointment very seriously.

"She told me so much about her adventure with the three of you," Az said, still looking to DG and her watchdog. "We sat together one night when I couldn't sleep, and she told me stories until the suns came up. I saw her laugh and cry within two minutes, but I never saw anything like the way her eyes lit up when she told me about the time she found Mr. Cain was alive."

"You should've seen her _then_," Ambrose suggested, rolling his eyes in an affectionate Glitch-y way. "She leapt into his arms. _Leapt_. If I'm lying, I'm dying."

Az watched Cain shift DG in his arms slightly, and she made not a move. As carefully as he could, Cain began inching over to the edge of the room, to where his eyes had settled on a settee he planned to use. "That looks like a good idea," Az admitted. Her cheeks had lost their rosy color, although she tried to write it off.

"Come on, Princess Az," Ambrose said, guiding her away to the wall as well. "That's enough excitement for one night."

"You always were a bit stuffy, Ambrose," she chided in return.

DG's eyes fluttered open as she felt soft cushions under her bottom and back, and the warm body disappeared from in front of her.

"Cain?" she asked blearily. Her hands patted around her to discover her surroundings, and she found herself sitting on one of the small sofas placed strategically on the far wall, just below the paintings of dancers. Cain was leaning slightly forward toward her, his hands on his knees as he inspected her.

"You all right?"

"Yeah," she said, nodding and reminding herself not to rub her eyes for fear of smearing her makeup. "I almost fell asleep, didn't I?"

"That you did, Princess. You need anything?"

She offered a laugh, which was slightly laconic itself. "Just because my mother wants you to look out for us doesn't make you my butler, Mr. Cain."

He opened his mouth to say something but quickly thought better of it. He sat beside her on the settee and preoccupied himself with watching those with the energy left to dance. "I, ah…" He leaned forward to cross his arms and rest them on his knees. "You look nice in a dress."

She sat up slightly straighter. "Where'd _that_ come from?" she asked.

"You said I looked nice earlier. In the suit." He made a vague motion with his right hand and let it rest again on his knees.

She smiled sweetly. "It's true."

He turned to catch her eyes. "Yeah. So's mine."

Before the moment could even coalesce, the quiet, dim air of the ball was suddenly rent by the loud sound of three gunshots. Screams suddenly filled the ballroom and the dance floor was a flurry of dresses and chaos. Cain shot to his feet, and DG tried to follow him. He caught her by her upper arm, turned sharply and simply shook his head "no." With one swift kick, he overturned the sofa they'd been sitting on and guided DG behind it. There she crouched, and he squeezed her arm once as he joined her. He reached under his pant leg to pull out a smaller gun than he was used to handling, strapped to his leg.

Cain peered over the edge of their shield to get a look at what had happened to interrupt the ball. The dancers had all fled in panic, and headed for the stairs in the back like a herd of stampeding cattle. A group of darkly clothed men stood in the center of the room, gleaming gunmetal in their hands. Their leader stood at the front, his own rather large gun pointed straight at the ceiling. Cain would know that ugly mug anywhere.

"Zero," he growled somewhere deep in his throat. DG's mouth dropped open, and she attempted to peek over the cushions as well. Cain planted a hand atop her head and squashed her back down into a crouching position.

"What's he doing here?" she whispered harshly.

"I don't have a clue. We had him holed up in Central City Prison, twenty to life. Him_ and_ his little posse." Cain checked to make sure his gun was fully loaded. "Where's your sister?" His eyes never left Zero.

DG looked around past Cain's crouching form beside her. "With Glitch. Close to the stairs."

"How far away?" He asked quickly. After she allowed a frantic pause, he added: "Come on, DG, how far?"

"Attention ball-goers!" Zero called, his voice full and boisterous. Cain looked over to the crowd at the stairs. A second group of Zero's men appeared to have taken hold of the back room, to cut off escape from either end. "The festivities are over!"

Someone screamed, and a loud murmur of fear began burbling up from the partygoers. Cain was just glad that Zero hadn't decided to kill anyone yet.

"About thirty feet, I guess," DH whispered back.

"All right, get yourself ready. And take off those damn shoes. No way you can run in those."

"As you can see," Zero announced, taking his steps with a healthy swagger to them, "we've got the ballroom secured from every possible exit. As much as I'd like to kill a few of the people in this room, we're only asking for four. Four little, insignificant people, and you all can go free."

"Let me take a stab at who those are," DG grumbled, freeing herself of the heeled shoes in a flash.

Someone in the crowd jostled slightly, as if preparing to run. Zero's hand was quick, and he shot the floor at the woman's feet. She screamed piercingly, as did several people near her. There was another loud surge of fearful talk.

DG felt Cain take her hand tightly in his, which grabbed her attention away from the gun-wielding ex-Longcoat. He stared straight into her eyes, straight down into the root of her.

"We're gonna run," he said as plainly as possible. "Az is close. Don't let go of my hand. I want you behind me, you got that?"

"Cain—"

"If Zero's gonna shoot, it'd better be at me. He's shot me before, and I haven't died yet."

"I want Azkadellia!" Zero demanded at the top of his lungs. "And that ridiculous excuse for her younger sister!" He clicked back the hammer on his gun and waved it generally at the crowd of dancers. "And while you're at it, I want Wyatt and Jeb Cain. Right here, right _now_!"

"Go!" Cain said at last. She didn't waste any time. The both shot up at once, and Cain popped off a quick shot at Zero. It imbedded itself in the armor strapped to his arm, knocking the man down to his knees.

They ran. Their hands remained cemented together. Cain held himself between DG and Zero, tossing shots backward over his shoulder. The screaming started anew, and the crowd flew into a flurry of fabric and limbs. More shots erupted at the top of the stairs. A brawl had broken out. DG ran for all she was worth in her feet bare, and her hand held tightly to her Guardian's. Azkadellia saw them coming.

"That's Cain!" Zero cried. "Shoot him! Shoot all of them! Shoot up the whole damn place!" Gunfire erupted from the front lines, and Zero whipped out his pistol again and fired from his position on the ground. Cain threw a hand over his brow to guard from the shrapnel caused by gunshots on the wall to his left. Wood and stone rained down around them as bullets whizzed by. DG screamed. It was all she could do.

They skidded down together into Ambrose and Azkadellia's hiding place. Cain wasted no time and poked Ambrose in the chest with the barrel of his gun. "You. Glitch, Ambrose, it doesn't matter who you are right now. Get a hold of the Princess and go on ahead of me. I'll cover you."

"What?!" Ambrose cried, all of the bravery fleeing from his eyes. "Where are we going? They've got all the exits blocked off."

"Not all of them," Cain growled, lowering his gaze on the floor to ceiling windows across the room.

"Oh, no," Ambrose whimpered as he pale. "There's no way we can make it. With the length of the ballroom floor and the velocity of those bullets—"

As if on cue, gunshots flew all around them again, eating up the stuffing of the sofa the four were now hiding behind. Cain grabbed Ambrose by his collar and shook him. "Listen to me, you cowardly excuse for a bodyguard. Forget Ambrose. Get Glitch in here, pronto!"

"I don't—"

His hands flew up around his ears as the bullets came again. Az grabbed one of Ambrose's hands and squeezed.

"Let's go," she said firmly to Cain. He pulled DG's hand close, to make sure that she was still with him. She nodded, looking pale and fearful but ready. Az kicked off her expensive high heels to match her sister. "If I fall, leave me," she told the Tin Man.

"Az, what are you—" DG was cut off as Azkadellia shot a very serious look levelly at Cain.

"You're called on to protect both of us. If stopping to save me means putting DG in danger, just keep running."

"I got you, Highness," Cain said with a grave nod. "Okay, on three."

As Ambrose's hands fell from protecting his head, and the gleam in his eye spoke of the brainless scarecrow DG had met so long ago in a wicker cage. He nodded minutely.

"One—" Cain began.

Glitch grabbed tightly back at Az's hand in his. "THREE!"

He and Az were up at once. Cain popped up behind them, and fired right at the dark-cloaked man who had taken Az in his sights. The man fell dead with a bullet to the chest. Cain pulled DG up after him, clutching her hand close to his chest. She followed without hesitation. Zero was shouting something, but Cain wasn't listening. The crowd diffused in the chaos of whizzing bullets and screaming women. He watched the two running in front of him as they cut through the crowd for the window. Cain fired again at the men with the guns, and there was another accompanying thud.

More gunfire erupted behind him, and Cain looked over his shoulder to gauge where his enemies lied. A smile took his face as he saw Jeb and his girl Emma had knocked out two of the black-clothed guards and had taken their weapons. They were thinning the bad guys down. Jeb caught his father's eye, and he only managed to catch a snatch of his son's words.

"—be all right! Get them out!"

He turned back to the front and punched out an approaching baddie with all the strength in his gun arm. Glitch and Az were rapidly approaching the window. Cain fired twice above his head to clear his way for the shot. People split before him like the gap in the O.Z., and the way was clear. With two precise shots, Cain shattered the pane of glass just as Glitch and Az reached it. Without even pausing to worry, the two jumped out into the black night.

Cain and DG followed right after them. Unfortunately, not before Zero could get in one last shot. He aimed at Cain's heart. What he hit was the flesh of Cain's calf. The Royal Guardian nearly tripped as the fire spread up his leg, but DG's strong grip kept him up and focused. He limped the remaining steps to the window and, still clutched together at the hands, they jumped as one.

The night rushed up around them, and the absence of sound caught in their ears. They plunged into the magical waters of Finaqua with a dark splash. Water was everywhere, and he was lucky to have DG clutching to him to keep him afloat. He kicked with his one good leg and never let go of the Princess.

She tugged him up onto shore, just as Glitch fitted his hands under Az's arms and pulled her out of the water. Cain shushed them quickly and limped up the shore until they were pressed up against the wall of the castle looming above them.

"Ambrose," he whispered, glancing over. "This place has _got_ to have some secret passageways."

"Uhh…" Glitch stared at Cain in uncertainty for a long moment, squeezed his eyes shut in concentration, and reemerged as Ambrose. "Yes," he said stably. "About ten yards to your right, there's a hatch to the underground passageways snaking underneath the castle. But go quietly, I think they might be after us."

Shadows appeared at the window overhead, peering into the inky night, and one popped a few shots into the equally dark lake. "No kidding," Cain muttered. He squeezed DG's hand, and she clutched back.

They edged along the wall, nearly slipping back into the water several times, and reached Ambrose's passage. Cain lifted the hatch slowly, and while it was metal and slightly rusted, it thankfully never betrayed their position. Cain ushered Ambrose and Azkadellia in first, the latter looking weary and pale even in the dim light offered from the half moon. He then lowered DG carefully down the steps, and for the first time since he took it, he let go of her hand.

He swung his aim around to check for any followers, sideways, up and around again. Satisfied that none of the shadows around him belonged to Zero and his lackeys, he disappeared into the hatch and down the first few steps. He turned and pulled it closed behind them, sliding both bars across until the locking mechanisms clicked into place. He rattled it twice to make sure it wouldn't jostle loose, and limped down the stairs to follow the Princesses and the Royal Advisor to the Queen.

"Cain!" DG breathed in relief once he appeared down the stairs. She threw her arms around him, and he hissed at the pain her added weight caused his leg. She backed away quickly, and Cain fell to sit on the steps his feet had just previously left. "You're shot."

"Good thing Zero's a miserable aim," Cain muttered. He rolled up his pant leg and gritted his teeth. "Went right through, didn't hit the bone. I should be all right." He slipped the black jacket off of his shoulders and tore off the left arm without second thought. One strip from the jacket was enough, and he tied it tightly around the bleeding bullet wound. He looked up, pain in his eyes. "Everyone else all right?"

"I'm fine," DG said, leaning concernedly over Cain as he sat on the steps.

"I'm good," Ambrose replied. "But Princess Azkadellia looks like she could faint at any time."

"I'm quite all right," she muttered. Cain looked up to see her sitting on the ground of the dusty underground room. Only two torches in braziers illuminated the small, square room, and the corridor near where Az sat led into darkness. "I'll be fine."

"Now what?" DG asked, looking up to the low ceiling as if she could see through it into the ballroom. "All those people… Mom, Dad, Raw; _Jeb_," she said lastly, fixing her eyebrows together in worry.

"Jeb's fine," Cain assured her. "Last I saw, he was taking out a few troublemakers of his own. If he's up there, he's gonna make sure nothing happens to your parents. You gotta trust me on that, Princess."

She didn't look ready to trust anything after the peace-shattering moments that felt like hours up in the ballroom. She crossed her arms and sat on the steps beside Cain, looking back up the long, dark stairwell. The hatch was lost far above them.

"What are we gonna do?" she asked in a small voice that was so very unlike her.

Cain's eye washed over her, his face unreadable, especially in the low light. He reached over and scooped her hand into his.

"We're gonna recuperate, and then make our way back up when things settle. We're gonna find out how Zero got out, what he plans on doing next, and how we can stop him. But right now, we're gonna sit right here, and I'm gonna make sure nothing happens to you." She caught his eyes, and the torchlight reflected hauntingly off of them. "It's all we _can_ do, DG."

"Okay," she said sadly. She slid her fingers in between his and didn't let go. He made no attempts to reclaim his hand.

"Ambrose?" Cain asked.

"Glitch," the man replied back. He seemed to concentrate very hard on the fact. "I think."

"Glitch, you keep an eye on Az. Keep her warm, and make sure she's comfortable."

"Got it," Glitch replied. He took off his fancy new coat and draped it around Azkadellia. She smiled her thanks and took slow, deep breaths.

"Now we wait," Cain breathed.

* * *

AN: Sorry for the wait on this one! I am also sorry for the cliffie, but it had to be done. That's the problem with chapter fics, I suppose. Damn you, cliffies! Anyway, here you go! Zero! He's back! BUT HOW?? WHAT DOES HE WANT?! (dun dun dunnn) I have it planned out, so no worries. Tell me what you think of the developments and how I've captured (or ruined) certain things/characters/whathaveyous. If nothing more, leave me some love/encouragement, because I may need it. You guys have all been so great to me, and the words really spur me on to continue this as fast as I can. Thanks you all so much, love to y'all, and keep on keepin' on. I mean STAY AWESOME! 


	5. Chapter 4: Interlude in the Underground

**Chapter Four: Interlude in the Underground**

With no concept of time, DG was left to wonder how much of it had passed since Zero invaded the ball. And time led to thinking, and thinking led to worrying. Worrying that was lessened by the slow, calm movement of Wyatt Cain's thumb over the knuckles of her hand. It was almost as if he didn't realize he was doing it, but it calmed the rapid beatings of her heart nonetheless. Up the hill of each knuckle, one by one, taking his time, then circled back down at the same pace; a soldier on its rounds.

Glitch held his arm around Azkadellia's shoulders, looking worried himself and twitching at odd moments as his brain tried to figure itself out. Two halves finally working together, and all he found was more confusion. Az was practically asleep on his shoulder, her head lolled into him and her eyes fluttered between open and closed. She looked pale and thin, more human than ever, just when she needed to be strong. The thought played havoc in her mind.

When Cain stood, he was careful on his wounded leg, and brought DG with him. "Glitch," he said, wincing at the pain that crawled through his leg, "is there another way out of these corridors?"

"What?" Glitch asked, looking up suddenly. "Why? Who wants to know?" He got a guarded look about him, his eyes mere slits. Cain rolled his eyes.

"Sometimes you're two handfuls, Headcase." He jerked a thumb up at the ceiling to emphasize his point. "There's a lot more people up there who need to get out from under Zero's thumb. If we can find a back route in, we might be able to get in a surprise attack."

"We're only four of us," Glitch mumbled, and then looked sadly at Azkadellia. "Well, maybe more like three and a half. Just what do you plan on doing with that itty bitty gun of yours, Tin Man?"

"It's better than just sitting around, waiting for them to come to us," DG said in Cain's defense.

Glitch looked down again to Az and his face flooded with worry. "I don't think I can remember."

DG left Cain's side and crouched down beside Glitch, the hem of her red dress catching the layer of dust that had settled on the floor. She took one of Glitch's hands in her own and squeezed encouragingly. His head popped up, but his eyebrows were still knit in concern. Cain looked doggedly at his feet, as if ignoring them on purpose.

"I think you can," DG said, a little smile pulling her lips up only just. "The Glitch I know is smarter than he ever thought he was. You don't need stuffy old Ambrose to tell you what you already know."

Glitch tried to smile and failed twice. "I could try," he mumbled.

"Could you try a little faster?" Cain grumbled at his feet, arms akimbo. Both Glitch and DG looked up at him, and DG was the first to return her glance to the other.

"You lead the way, Glitch. I can take care of Az."

"You… You're sure?" Glitch asked, standing at last. "I mean—" He laughed nervously in attempts to lighten the mood, "—_I_ wouldn't trust me."

"We do," DG said as she helped her sister to stand. "Right, Cain?"

"Yeah," he answered absently. After a moment of standing in silence, he took a quick step to DG's side. "I can take her," he said, offering his hand out toward the two of them. DG took a look at his hand, and Azkadellia seemed to finally wake from her daze. The sisters exchanged a worried glance, and DG finally shook her head.

"You just focus on the protecting. If I can't drag my own lazy sister around, what good am I?" She smiled at Azkadellia, who took her outstretched hand to pull herself to her feet.

"Lazy?" Az muttered, attempting a brave smile. "I'll show you lazy." She linked elbows with her sister and leaned on the girl for support.

DG turned to Cain with a short smile of her own to find him watching her with his jaw cemented shut. He seemed to take some time to swallow, then nodded tightly. The small gun was in his hand, and he loaded it quickly.

"Glitch," Cain said at last, "you lead. I'll take rearguard. Princesses, you're in the middle. Slowly—we don't know what's waiting down here for us."

"All right," Glitch said, puffing out his chest. "This way." He pointed straight into the darkness of the corridor and marched off at a quick pace. DG and Az exchanged another odd glance as they listened to Glitch's footsteps disappear into the darkness. All at once, his noises ceased and he came running back into the room, chest heaving. "It's dark in there," he mumbled.

Cain wordlessly took one of the torches from the braziers on the wall and handed it to him. Glitch nodded his thanks, catching his breath back. Cain rolled his eyes and grabbed the second torch to keep to himself.

Glitch led them quietly down the first long corridor, and the room disappeared behind them into obscurity. He was slouched over, and seeing him dressed in Ambrose's finery with his hair done so carefully was jarring. DG and Az were clutched together at the elbows, hands linked and emitting a slight glow from their clasped hands. The elder walked mostly on her own, her back held straight as a form of pride—something she thought she'd lost with the witch. Beside her, DG tried to throw worried glances behind her, but all she caught in her backward gazes were the barely-illuminated stone walls of the corridor. Cain walked silently behind them, his gun before him and aimed into the darkness ahead of the royal advisor. The sound of his limp was painful, and it echoed all around them in the close quarters.

At the first fork, Glitch stopped walking completely. One arm kept moving straight, and the other branched off to the left. Both seemed just as empty and cobwebby. The dust hadn't been disturbed in years. Glitch's eyes darted from one to the other without a thought either way. In attempt to jog his brain, he struck his temple with the heel of his palm. "C'mon," he muttered. "I've got a brain; why won't it work?" He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and planted his feet.

"Glitch?" DG asked worriedly.

His mouth moved soundlessly, and his eyes remained closed.

"Ambrose?" She tried again. Still, he didn't answer. "Who is he if he's neither?"

"Both," Cain said suddenly, and DG realized that he was right at her ear. "I think he's in conference with himself."

"That's so weird," DG said, shaking her head in admiration.

Glitch held up one finger, and conversation behind him ceased. "Aha!" He said at last. "I got it!" When he turned to face the group, he was smiling in that cheerful Glitch way, but the confidence and steel behind his eyes was nothing but Ambrose. "Let's do this thing." With that, he steered himself toward the lefthand corridor. His back was straight with discipline, but the hop in his step was unmistakable. And he was quick.

"Glitch!" Cain called, hissing through his teeth in attempts to keep slightly quiet. The man didn't turn. "Dammit! Come on, Princess," he said, thrusting the torch into DG's hand. "Sorry about this, Highness," he prefaced as he took Az about the waist. With a grunt and a heave, he threw Az over one shoulder, and she gave a quick squeal of surprise. DG's jaw dropped open, but she had no time to gawk as Cain took her other hand in his and took after Glitch. His own torchlight had become a pinprick in the distance.

"This is demeaning, Mr. Cain!" Az protested. "I can walk on my own!"

"Walk, maybe," he growled back through the pain in his leg. "Run, I don't think so. Dammit, Glitch, slow down! Once a Zipperhead…"

All at once, Glitch rounded a corner, and his light was gone. DG's hand dug fiercely into Cain's, and all he could do was squeeze back. They ran after Glitch, not knowing when or where he turned, or even where any of the passageways led. And Az could only watch the hallway retreat into darkness behind them and hold as tightly as she could onto the Tin Man that had her over his shoulder.

The stone wall disappeared suddenly on DG's left, and she felt a blast of cold air against her skin as she passed by. At the same time, she felt warm fingers shoot out from the darkness to wrap around her upper arm. She gasped and was surreptitiously jerked backward into the side corridor. Her grip on Cain's hand didn't falter, and she managed to jerk him backward with her. Cain dropped the torch in surprise in order to keep Az from falling off as he, too, was pulled into the darkness. Their torch sputtered and died on the ground, dousing them in darkness.

"DG!" Cain began to call as soon as the light went out. A small hand clapped over his mouth before he could, however, and as his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he saw why. Glitch was standing beside DG, pressed up against the wall and a finger to his mouth. The hand pressed firmly against Cain's lips appeared to belong to DG, and her other was still clamped onto his. Az sighed, facing a blank stone wall.

"Would anyone care to tell me what's going on?" Az whispered. Cain nearly jumped and gently let Az down off of his shoulder. She and DG held onto one another for support, and the younger urged the older to keep quiet.

Cain cocked his gun and peered around the corner into the hallway they'd been pulled from. There was a dim light shining from far away, and it was moving steadily closer. Cain pressed his arm back against the girls, urging them further back into the new corridor. The new light began to fill the corridor outside of theirs, and dim illumination spilled over Glitch's face. He looked Cain in the eye, nodding to let him know that he was with him. The advisor's hands were suddenly up in a defensive position, and his eyes were on the quickly approaching light.

At the same moment, both leapt from the corridor, ready to fight with fists and guns bared. They quickly realized that they wouldn't have to.

"Jeb," Cain breathed in relief.

"Father!" Jeb said around his own pointed gun. Both dropped their firearms to their sides and embraced one another quickly.

"Glitch," Raw said from beside them, his arms around a young child that no one recognized. "Not Ambrose?"

"We're working on it," Glitch muttered, mussing his hand through his immaculate hair to frizz it up slightly.

"Father, where are DG and Azkadellia?" Jeb asked once he had pulled out of his father's arms.

"We're here," DG said as she led her sister out of the side hallway. As they came out together, they saw that not only Jeb and Raw had joined them in the hidden passageways, but quite a large contingent of haggard-looking partygoers—Freedom Fighters and nobles banded together, and both factions seemed to have seen a fair share of fighting. Emma stood between Raw and Jeb, a bleeding cut running from her hairline to the bridge of her nose.

"What happened?" Cain asked, looking about at the group that had been following Jeb. The boy looked behind him and sighed.

"Zero's Longcoats overwhelmed us," he said. "We had them on the run for a while, when these folks got together and figured out they could fight back. When reinforcements showed up, we had to retreat." He clapped Raw on the shoulder, a proud grin on his face. "This fellow was the one that found the hidden door. Otherwise, we would've been sitting ducks."

Raw shuffled his feet, as if he didn't deserve the honor. "Raw just looking out for Jeb. Knew Cain would not like his son lost on Raw's watch."

Cain's smile grew, and it almost seemed as if he would grab Raw in a fierce hug. But he refrained. "I owe you one, Raw."

"Well," Jeb said with a relieved sigh, "what are _you_ doing down here? I thought you would've run for it by now."

"Running isn't my job," Cain said, seriousness descending on his face again. He took Jeb's shoulder. "What happened up there? After the reinforcements came in?"

Jeb seemed loath to divulge the information, but the fatherly look from Cain broke him in less than thirty seconds. "Zero went nuts when you jumped out the window," Jeb began. "He ordered his Longcoats to fire into the lake, and he sent a few down to see if they could find you. That's when we fought back, while they were distracted."

"What about my parents?" DG asked suddenly. Az's face looked suddenly drawn, and she turned to Jeb with the same fear etched in her eyes. Jeb's mouth turned down, and he couldn't face the princesses.

"He was going to kill them," Jeb said, something dark stuck in his throat. He cleared it away and started again. "He had this look in his eyes… It was the craziest thing I ever saw. He's not the same Zero, Father."

"That's not saying much," Cain mumbled. "Go on, what happened?"

"He had the Queen at gunpoint, but then something changed about him. He was all pomp and steel, like he used to be. He knocked the Consort out cold and told two Longcoats to escort the Queen out. That's about when we were overwhelmed."

"I thought we'd be done fighting Longcoats after the eclipse," Emma muttered darkly. She was trying not to look at Azkadellia, but the elder princess knew the words were for her. She straightened herself up, and all the regal dignity she possessed was suddenly lingering in her eyes.

"You think I had something to do with this?" Az asked the redheaded girl at Jeb's side. Jeb's eyes swung around to look at his girl, whose face had fallen at the accusation. She bit her lip, with all eyes suddenly upon her.

"You know that's what people will think," Emma protested. "Even if you didn't."

"_If_?" Az asked, squaring her shoulders and looking suddenly as tall and strong as she had before the witch had been banished from her. "To even_think_ that I would wish this on my parents, on all those people, on my _sister_…" Az shook her head and said nothing more.

"No one's accusing anyone," Cain said quickly. He took his son by the shoulder and pulled him slightly away from the others. "You did a good job bringing them this far, son, and I'm proud of you for standing up back there."

Jeb smiled, almost sadly. "It's what you would've done."

"Jeb, I want you to take DG and Az and get out of here. The hatch leading outside is just down this hallway and to the right."

"What are you getting at?" Jeb asked, his defenses flying up.

"What _are_ you getting at?" DG asked, suddenly hovering. Cain nearly jumped, and he spun to face the accusing stare of the youngest princess. He knew that it was too late to lie or defer the question.

"I'm going back up there," Cain said tersely. "You follow Jeb and the others out, and I'll try to do something about your parents. If what Jeb says is right, then Zero's lost it, and there's no knowing what he'll come up with for them." He took a breath and looked her once over sadly. "Or for you."

The last took her off guard, and she didn't respond quite as quickly as she should have. She opened her mouth twice, and accusatory finger rose to point futilely at him. At last, she found herself and took a step into him to glare straight up into his eyes. Her finger poked him squarely in the chest, and there was no leniency.

"I'm going after my mother and father," she said, leaving no room for argument. Cain knew better.

"No way," he countered.

"Yes way!" She shot back, even if it sounded childish. "Like it or not, Wyatt Cain, Royal Guardian, I'm a princess. What I say goes, and I said I'm going after them." She poked him harder, directly in the center of his chest, and he winced at the force behind it. "I'm gonna look after my family, and _you_ can decide to come with me or not."

Cain's mouth hung open, and DG was unsure whether he knew it or not. The look in his eyes certainly wasn't as scolding as she thought it would have been. In fact, it was quite the opposite—was it admiration? She removed her finger from his chest slowly, wilting slightly under his constant gaze. He broke eye contact first, looking away with eyebrows drawn down.

"I guess I can't let you go alone," he said, more of a quiet rumble than an actual statement. "Jeb—" He began louder, but his son cut in before he could utter another word.

"I'm coming with you, too," he said, gripping the gun close. "I wouldn't miss taking another swing at Zero for anything."

"Don't think you're leaving me behind," Az interjected quickly. To everyone's surprise, she was still standing tall with life in her eyes and cheeks. "I'm ready," was all she said.

"You can't run off with out me," Glitch said, taking a step forward. He was more Glitch than ever, but there was something cold about his eyes that was unmistakably Ambrose.

"Raw stays with Emma," the viewer said, a hand on the girl's shoulder.

"Someone needs to stay and protect these people," Emma said with a guilty shrug of the shoulder. "Me and the viewer should be able to handle it. And Highness?" She said the last to Az, who nodded for her to continue. "Prove me wrong." There was no malice in this, only encouragement to do what Azkadellia knew she needed to do.

"I will," Az responded. "I'll prove them all wrong."

"All right," Cain said, aware that DG was still unnaturally close. She took the hint and stepped back quickly, looking at her bare feet. "We should get moving, and the faster, the better." He looked quickly to Az. "You feeling better, Highness?"

"Yes, Mr. Cain," she said, a slight smile coming to her lips. "No need to toss me over your shoulder like a bag of laundry."

Cain finally allowed a sheepish grin. Before he left, Raw pulled a flat stone out of the pocket of his suit of furs and applied it to Cain's gunshot wound. The man grit his teeth and ignored the stinging. All at once, the pain had lessened to a dull throb. He shook Raw's paw firmly as way of thanks, for more than the simple healing he'd performed. The companies parted ways: Emma and Raw headed outside, and the smaller contingent moved back into the castle.

Jeb led the way, his father at his side. DG and Azkadellia held their hands tightly together and walked with strong, purposeful strides. Love and pride swelled in DG's chest as she watched her sister walk with confidence for the first time since the doctors had sentenced her to the wheelchair. Glitch took his turn as the rearguard, his hands fisted and ready.

Several turns and one dead end later, Jeb led them up a flight of stairs that ended in an identical trap door to the one Cain and the others had entered through. Jeb unbolted the locks, and Cain nodded to show that he was ready with his small pistol. With his shoulder against the metal door, Jeb shoved with all his might until the door few open. Father and son shot out of the door at the same time, guns at eye level and scanning the room for Zero's baddies.

"All clear," Cain said. Glitch helped the princesses out of the door in the floor, and they all took a wide look around the room. They were in the kitchens. All the lights were out, and an eerie, dead silence hung in the air. Cain took the lead, and Jeb fell back to the rear. The long kitchen ended in double-wide doors with a small, circular window in each. Cain peered out of the portholes, narrowed his eyes, and looked to his son. He signaled with his hand that he had seen two guards. Jeb nodded, as did Glitch.

The three burst from the kitchen doors at the same time. Cain swung a fist into the guard standing beside the door, and he crumpled before he could react. The other guard across the room raised his voice in alarm, and Jeb promptly shot him. He was silenced.

Cain grabbed the half-conscious man at his feet by the collar and shook him. "Hey there, friend," he cajoled in a gravel voice. "Fancy meeting you here."

"Wyatt Cain. Surprise, surprise," the guard growled, spitting a mixture of saliva and blood in Cain's eye. DG made an odd sound in the back of her throat, and Glitch winced. Cain simply wiped his face clean with his shirt cuff.

"Now, that was just plain rude." Cain had him up on his feet, an arm wrapped around the man's throat and pressing hard against his windpipe. "Glitch, get his gun."

The aide did as prompted, holding the firearm at arm's length, as if it might bite him.

"See," Cain began, shifting the gasping man so as to make himself more comfortable, "I need you to do something for me. Tell me where Zero is, and I let go." He nodded toward Jeb and Glitch. "Can't say the same for them, but, hey, you can't please everyone."

The man attempted to speak, but Cain's arm pressing against his throat wasn't helping. Cain grudgingly loosened his grip, but only slightly.

"Funny, you bringing up Zero," the man scoffed, watching Jeb's gun warily. "He wanted to know the same thing about you."

"Sorry," Cain growled, "that's not the answer I was looking for. Jeb—"

Just as Jeb raised his gun, eyes narrowed, the man coughed out: "Wait!"

After a pause, Cain smiled. "Changed your mind?"

"Zero's gone," the man said quickly. "Left just a few of us here in the palace. Said he was headed up to Central City."

"Where's my mother?" DG said suddenly, stomping up to the man. His eyes swept up and down the girl, a dark smirk taking hold of his features.

"You look real pretty in your dress, Princess," he said. Just as DG's lip turned in disgust, Cain's arm tightened harshly on the man's windpipe.

"Wrong answer," Cain growled. The man choked and clawed at Cain's arm, but the Tin Man was unrelenting.

"Cain," DG said suddenly, and his blue eyes shot up to catch his. She looked pleadingly from him to the man he was slowly suffocating. Cain's eyebrows drew down and his lips formed a serious straight line. DG stared straight back, copying his mask. Something broke behind his iron stare, and he whipped his arm away from the man's neck. Never taking his eyes off of DG, Cain shoved the guard to the ground, his face plain and unreadable. He planted one foot in the center of the man's back, squeezing all of the air from him again.

"Yeah, Princess?" Cain asked.

She bit her lower lip as her eyes searched his face worriedly. Cain looked away, down at the man stuck under his foot.

"Ask again. I'll bet he's more accommodating from the floor. Just—" He still didn't look at her, but the infinitesimal pause seemed to last a lifetime. "—don't get too close. I don't like him."

DG nodded slowly, and then turned her eyes down on the guard. "Where's my mother?"

"Zero took both of 'em," the guard said, struggling under Cain's boot. "I can't breathe!"

"Sure you can," Cain said, arms akimbo and staring at the ceiling as if suddenly disinterested. "Thanks for your help." He reached down and pulled the man back to his feet, only to crack the butt of his gun against the man's head. He finally fell, unconscious, to the floor.

Cain sighed, a hand to his forehead. "I hate these guys," he grumbled.

"That's good news, though, right?" Glitch asked. "That means that they're both alive."

Cain almost said 'For now,' but when his eyes fell on DG's, his shoulders fell and his comment simply became a long exhalation of breath. "You all right, kid?" he asked, stepping over the unconscious man without a second thought.

"I am," she said sturdily, and met his eyes. She was surprised to see him smile down at her.

"Now, there's the DG I know," he said as he lay a hand on her shoulder. He turned to Jeb and Glitch. "Sounds like Zero left only a few guards behind. They should be easy enough to round up and lock in a linen closet."

"What, no tin suits?" Jeb asked with half a smirk. Cain shook his head and looked back to DG at the end of his arm. "Where's your room?" He asked, as if he didn't know.

"Why?" She asked, exchanging a glance with Azkadellia.

"If we're going to Central City, you're at least gonna need some shoes, Princess."

* * *

AN: Ta daaah! Here's a brand-spankin'-new chapter for y'all! Did I hear a "dun dun dunn"? Naw, it's probably just the voices in my head. I promise, there'll be more CainDG in the future, I'm just kinda leading up to the big stuff. And I just loove writing Glitch/Ambrose. I have something planned for him, so mwahaha. Tell me what you think, if my quality has suddenly dropped off into the "abysmal" range, or if I've suddenly lost all sense of the characters. Or leave some love (that's my favorite one!). Thanks again for reading, and it's imperative that you STAY AWESOME!! 


	6. Chapter 5: Leaving Finaqua

**Chapter Five: Leaving Finaqua**

Cain wiped the blood from his busted lip on the back of his hand, having rolled up his sleeves for the dirty work. "What, is that it?"

He blocked a swift left hook headed right for him, caught the man's arm and twisted it hard. The man gave a growl of pain, throwing his head back just long enough for Cain to clock him hard across the jaw. The man fell, groaning, and Cain kicked him twice in the midsection to be sure he wouldn't be getting back up again. He strode away from the man lying still on the ground to the nearby door. He opened it without warning, and DG tumbled out into his arms with a squeak of surprise.

"Woah," Cain said quickly as he caught her. "You all right?" She allowed herself to be pulled up, his hands on her shoulders, and nodded.

"Fine," she answered, not quite meeting his eyes. "You know, next time you shove me into a closet, warn me. Or at least knock. I might have my ear on the door." She smiled wistfully as she finally looked up, and her face instantly fell. "Cain, you're bleeding!"

Without thinking, her fingers rose from her side and they almost touched his split lower lip, but at the last moment, they flinched back and pulled away. Cain released her shoulders and touched his lip absently where it was bleeding.

"That? It's nothing."

There was something maddening about the pause they left, and DG felt the silence crawling slowly up her spine. For no applicable reason, her eyes still hovered on his lower lip, and it was another long moment before she realized that all the blood in her body was in her head.

"We're almost there," she said, wobbling slightly as she moved to step away. He'd managed to get her heartbeat in her ears and her vision to go all fuzzy, and the fact that her knees felt as if they had roughly the same consistency as gelatin didn't help one bit. He stared concernedly after her but followed nonetheless.

As DG stepped dreamily passed the unconscious guard, Cain grabbed the man by the feet and dragged him unceremoniously into the closet he'd shoved DG into. It was a tight fit, but the Tin Man managed it, and shoved a chair up underneath the knob to hopefully prevent any breakouts. He took the remainder of the hallway at a jog to catch up with the meandering princess.

He took her lightly by the upper arm. "DG?"

"Hmm?" She asked, turning.

"That's your room," he said slowly, jerking a thumb over his shoulder to the door they had just passed. DG blinked in its direction, then brightened instantly.

"Right!" She headed back for her door, gesticulating with one hand as she muttered: "This place looks so different at night…" He drew his eyebrows down and shook his head at her back, a loose sigh escaping him. She opened the door with ease, but before she could enter, Cain slipped by her, his gun suddenly having reemerged. He held a finger to his lips and motioned for her to stay outside. She nodded minutely.

Cain searched the whole room. Under the bed, in the wardrobe, the closet, the attached bathroom, under the window seat. Once he was satisfied, he lowered the gun and called for her to come in.

"Once Glitch gets up here with Az and the two of you finish getting yourselves ready, we'll get up and go." He paused to sweep his eyes around the room one last time. "My room's right across the hall. You see something, you hear something, you just yell, okay?"

"Okay," DG repeated, smiling placidly in what she hoped was an encouraging way. His own lips tugged up slightly, and he turned on heel to leave the room, shutting the door behind him.

As soon as he was gone, DG was at the wardrobe, butting her head and the swinging door together as quietly as possible. "What… is… _wrong_ with you?" She chided herself between head-butts. She glared at herself in the mirror, eyes narrowed. "You were the opposite of slick. If slick was maple syrup, you're peanut butter." She gave a frustrated little groan and began rifling through the wardrobe for any clothes appropriate for travel. Dresses were _out_.

She found her trusty old jeans shoved far in the back and pulled them out with a pleased flourish. She'd arrived from Kansas with them on, and to see them again was like seeing an old friend. She refrained from hugging her pants, even if no one was looking. Her worn-in shoes from the Other Side were hidden away in one of the wardrobe's many and varied drawers. She tossed both on the bed and dug around for an appropriate blouse. The one she found that was green, made of a light and airy cloth and took on a fit that wasn't quite snug. The jacket she found hung to her knees, and was almost the same color as Cain's, which brought a pretty, pensive smile to her lips.

DG was glad to get the dress off. It had been pretty, yes, but confining and—she hated to admit it now—attention-getting. Attention was the last thing she wanted. The jeans and the shirt went on, and then her search began for ever-elusive socks. She knew she'd brought a pair with her, but socks for women were either scarce or the women simply wore shoes that didn't need them. She opened drawer after drawer, crouched over the wardrobe with her back to the door.

When the formerly unconscious guard grabbed her from behind, it was all DG could do to scream. Both of his arms fit around her middle and jerked her back from the wardrobe, her feet kicking out in instinct. He grabbed her hard at the rib age with one arm and the other hand clamped harshly across her mouth to cut off her noises. She tried to tear her arms from his vice grip, but the more she struggled, the more futile it seemed.

The door burst inward, the lock fragmenting and one of the hinges busted. In through the hanging door charged Wyatt Cain, gun drawn and looking fierce. The guard whipped around to face Cain, DG held securely before him as a shield. One stared the other down, neither making a move, watching the other to gauge the next move. The face off was ended quickly, however, as DG took the opportunity to ram her head backward into the man's face. He cried out and his hands went suddenly to his nose. DG ducked quickly to the floor and Cain popped off a lethal shot straight to the man's chest. He fell over backwards and moved no more.

Cain barely had time to lower his gun before he found himself with an armful of DG. The gun clattered to the floor in surprise, and his arms slowly lowered around her to tuck her into a full embrace. She was shaking, if only slightly. Her head rested somewhere between his neck and his shoulder, and she closed her eyes to the world as she held fast onto his lapels. Only, she realized all too late, that he had no lapels to hang onto. Her hands pressed softly against the bare flesh of his chest, his button-up shirt completely open. She could feel his heartbeat throbbing against her palm, and as her fingers twitched involuntarily, she felt the soft, blond curls of chest hair brush against her skin.

It was too late now to pull away, but she was suddenly afraid that in their closeness he would feel the heat that had taken up in her face. She had quite obviously chosen to scream just as he had pulled on the shirt, and she thanked God for small favors.

"He hurt you, DG?" Cain asked quickly, pulling her away only slightly to look her in the eye.

A crazy thought entered her head without warning, that she should fake an injury to keep him close. She opened her mouth to do just that, but a niggling voice somewhere in her head prevented her. "No," she said quietly. "Thanks."

"Sorry about the door," he muttered, looking over his shoulder at the pitiful thing hanging on one hinge. She smiled as he looked back to her.

"We can blame it on the Longcoats."

"Are we having a moment?" Glitch suddenly asked from the doorway. The way DG and Cain broke apart might have been comical if not for the dead body nearby, and suddenly two feet of dead air stood between them. Glitch began to smile, but when his eyes fell on the ex-guard, his visage hardened suddenly. "Oh."

To further the color in DG's cheeks, not only Glitch but Az and Jeb decided to arrive in the doorway.

"Father, I heard gunshots," Jeb said suddenly, stepping into the room.

"It's taken care of," Cain muttered, beginning to awkwardly button up his open shirt. "Just a little run in."

"I'll say," Glitch said suddenly. At the glowering look Cain flashed him, the royal aide quailed and disappeared back out the door.

"Did you have any trouble?" Cain asked, once he was nearly all the way buttoned up. He looked his son over for any injuries and found none.

"Not the kind of excitement that seems to be going on up here," Jeb muttered, looking at the dead guard. DG'd had quite enough with the double entendres and stomped over to the bed to snatch up her shoes. Socks seemed to be too precious a commodity to carry in the O.Z. Cain's mouth fell open slightly, words unfound, as his eyes followed her out of the room. He pressed his jaw closed and with a heavy brow he turned to his son.

"Did you find everything? You three all set and ready to go? I don't want to spend more time here than we have to."

"Yeah," Jeb replied. "Princess Az is tired of sitting around." All at once, he smiled, and Cain couldn't help but return it. "We've got trail rations from the kitchen, and travel-appropriate clothes. Finding something for…" he trailed off, looking at the outline of the confused aide in the hallway, wondering just which name to use. "Well, let's say I don't think Ambrose would approve."

"You start us off," Cain said encouragingly, squeezing his son's shoulder once. "I got more in my room to take care of."

Jeb nodded slowly, and an odd turn took to his smile. "Yes, sir." He left the room, stepping over the hanging door and out into the hallway. Cain was quick to dive into the drawers that DG had left open and produced the socks that she'd been diligently searching for.

"Hey, DG," he called once he stepped out into the hallway. She was halfway down, her arms crossed and shoes still in hand. She looked up, pouting slightly, and then dropped her shoes as he lobbed the balled-up socks to her. She caught them easily, took a look at them, and a slow smile curled over her face. Cain was quick to duck into his room before he allowed himself any more.

The familiar Tin Man uniform was more inviting than it had been in a long time. The leather of the vest, the comfortable fit of his long overcoat, and of course, the hat he squared onto his head. He didn't have time to gauge himself in the mirror. He wordlessly strapped the gunbelt over his shoulder and around his waist, checking to see that his gun was fully loaded. He discarded the now-useless smaller pistol under the bed and kicked it out of sight.

He stepped back out into the hallway to find the group waiting for him. The group he would have to lead to Central City. Azkadellia was standing near the far wall, one hand leaning against it in as casual a way she could manage. They'd found her clothes meant for horse riding, including a long gray coat, riding breeches and high boots. She was standing nearly on her own, but Cain feared that the weakness the witch had left her with could take hold again at any time. Glitch—or maybe he was Ambrose, by the way he seemed to be scrutinizing the door Cain had kicked in to get to DG—would watch after her. They would all look out for her.

Jeb stood near DG, and Cain felt a mixture of emotion at the protective, watchful look in his son's eye. He washed it quickly away by clearing his throat. "All right, if anyone's got anything else terribly important to do, now's the time," he told them.

"I just want to find my parents," DG said, slipping her shoes on from her position on the floor. She levered herself up by grasping Jeb's hand and brushed off her pants with a quick movement.

"I agree," Az added, standing away from the wall and holding her head high. "I'll do what I can to help."

"Now, you need to be careful, Highness," Ambrose said suddenly, his own back surprisingly straight. "There are probably quite a few people who aren't quite ready to accept your reformation."

"I know that," Az said, her eyes lowering only slightly. "But thank you, Ambrose." He gave a slight bow. "Mr. Cain, how are we planning on getting to Central City? If your friends are as slippery as I suspect, they'll have taken the royal carriages."

"And if I know Zero, he's torched the stables," Cain growled. At the way DG's mouth dropped open, Cain stuffed his hands in his pockets and added, "Or not. But it's safe to assume he left us without transport. Looks like we're walking."

Az sighed almost imperceptibly out of her nose, but DG's hand in hers help to calm the insecurity dwelling somewhere low in her stomach.

"It's a long way to Central City," Ambrose noted.

"Father," Jeb said suddenly. "The Freedom Fighters are camped less than a day north of here. We'll have horses, at the least. Last I knew, one of our contingents from the west seized a truck from a few rogue Longcoats. If we can get that up and running…"

Cain nearly grinned. "Fancy that. Looks like we might be riding into Central City with style. Ambrose, you think you could manage a little patch job?"

Ambrose shrugged, and his right arm twitched slightly. "I'm no mechanic, but I'm sure we can try." He nodded. "Yeah, we can try it."

"I'm handy with a screwdriver," DG said, approaching the others with Jeb in tow. Cain raised his eyebrows and said nothing. Ambrose's mouth dropped slightly open. DG was suddenly defensive. "What, can't a girl carry a hammer and be a princess too?"

"Not usually," Jeb said, half a smirk on his face.

"Well, if it's a mechanic you need, I'm as close as you're gonna get," DG responded, her nose in the air.

"All right, settle down, Princess," Cain advised, a short smile on his lips. "You can get as dirty as you want under that truck, but we've got to make the trip first."

DG smiled under a light flush and looked quickly away to her sister.

"We should go under nightfall," Jeb suggested, "in case Zero left anyone behind."

"The night's still young," Cain said, and quickly adjusted his hat. "And the faster we get going, the more night we have to cover the trip to the camp." He turned to his son. "You think Zero would pass them up?"

"They're far back from any of the main roads," Jeb assured him. "Besides, he's got the Queen. I doubt he'd be making any pit stops."

"Then let's go," Az added. "Before my legs decide to give out on me."

Before the awkward silence could begin, Cain tipped back his hat and simply said: "Then I'll just have to toss you over my shoulder like a sack of laundry."

Glitch suddenly laughed, and the welcome, familiar sound was enough to take the edge off their nerves. Cain made a short motion for them to follow, and they were off.

The stable wasn't on fire, but neither was it full of horses. The gates had been thrown open, and every single horse had fled somewhere. Cain knew better than to have gotten his hopes up. DG's relief at the fact it hadn't been burnt to the ground seemed to satisfy him enough. The stars were bright overhead, the clouds having cleared away, and a sharp chill had taken to the midnight air. The pulled their coats close around them, buttoning buttons and folding arms. Az wasn't sure whether it was Glitch or Ambrose who offered his arm to her, but she took it nonetheless, and shared their warmth.

DG slipped up to Cain's side and slid her hand through the crook in his elbow. He didn't have to say a word, and she hoped that she didn't have to either. Her breath turned to a white fog before her, and she leaned her side up against that of her Royal Guardian. The road ahead was dark, and they would need to travel on in that darkness to keep their location hidden. For all they knew, Zero could very well be waiting to ambush them just where the dirt road disappeared into the trees.

"We'll get them back," Cain said lightly, his footsteps dull and heavy in the close night air. "And if I have anything to say about it, Zero's gonna get more than a month in a tin suit."

"Thank you," DG said, squeezing his arm with hers.

"It's in the job description," he said back. Their eyes met, and she swore that he was smiling. "If the princess is gonna run off to find her parents, someone ought to go with her to make sure she doesn't go in just swinging a stick."

They walked at a steady pace, not to hard for fear of wearing out the eldest princess. The moonlight sparkled off of the lake. Jeb took the front guard, the gun stolen from a Longcoat in the castle at the ready, to shoot first and ask questions later. Tall conifers approached them as the road wound up into the surrounding forest, and the darkness of the wood was all they had to look forward to.

DG sent a look over her shoulder, to catch Finaqua in her eye one more time. It glowed brightly in the darkness, many of its lights left on in the haste to leave. They would burn out soon, and then all would be darkness in her childhood home. The outline of the gazebo with her favorite swing was dark against the moonlit, magical waters.

"You all right?" Cain asked.

"I'm just trying to keep it all locked up in my head," she said plainly. "The last time I left here like this, I never came back, and I forgot everything."

"You'll be back," Cain assured her, his sharp eyes looking ahead, ever focused on what was coming and never what was going. "You can hold me to that."

"I think I will," she murmured, leaning back into his side. He was warm, and familiar, and comforting in the chill night. Whereas the path ahead could hold anything—Zero, Longcoats and bears, oh my—the man at her side was steady and strong. She would hold him to his word, only because she knew he was one of the few she could trust to keep it.

They walked on in silence through the dense, ancient forest and left Finaqua behind them. In only two hours, Az lost the will to walk, and as her knees gave out on her, they pulled aside into the brush and made camp. Az fell into sleep almost as soon as she curled up under a tree. Jeb sat on the opposite side, gun cradled in his arm, and claimed first watch for his own. Cain agreed, only if his son promised to wake him when dawn came to take the next hours.

He tipped his hat down over his eyes, crossed his arms, and lowered himself into sleep. DG took to her own makeshift bed near Azkadellia, watching Wyatt Cain as his chest rose steadily with each breath, ignoring the inexplicable desire to curl up into him and sleep for days.

* * *

AN: Weeeell, I know you guys like long chapters, and this one's shorter than the previous two, so I'm sorry! This is all that really fit into this chapter anyway. So, I appease you by giving you more CDG! Rejoice, all ye, the time for feasting has come! (woah, that was weird...) This is more of a transition into next chapter, where the plot will really start to gain some steam. So lemme know if I've finally scared you off, or if for some reason I've hooked you. Tell me how my CDG is going, and whether I've done something completely wrong. I'll listen! I'll change it! Thanks again, soooo much. A bunch of reviewers gave me the biggest warm fuzzies ever, and you know who you are! Srsly, made my day. Much love to all of you, and keep on with that staying awesome! 


	7. Chapter 6: Freedom Fighters

**Chapter Six: Freedom Fighters**

Cain took second watch at dawn, and Jeb settled slowly into sleep in his father's indentation in the ground. Cain stretched and made his rounds through the small camp. The road was only a few yards away, but they were hidden well enough in the brush to remain unseen to the passing eye. Cain peered out clandestinely, checking up and down the road for any that might be coming or going—especially Longcoats. He was satisfied after a few long minutes of spying and returned to camp.

He swept his eyes over those in his charge, to be sure that nothing had happened to them in the night—not that he didn't trust Jeb to watch over them; it was simply his nature to worry, it seemed. The morning light was yellow and dim as it skimmed over the tips of the trees and filtered down around them and into camp. Ambrose was sleeping serenely with his back propped up against a tree, hands folded neatly near his waist. He made not a sound. Azkadellia was pulled into herself like a cat, and sleeping just as soundly. She looked worn, but when the morning light grazed her skin, she seemed so much more luminous than she had been in the weeks previous.

Her sister was near her, sleeping less soundly, but asleep nonetheless. He'd become so used to the picture of her with her hair messy around her face and that short leather jacket with the wool on the collar. This morning, DG was different. Her hair was still up from the ball, and it draped carefully over one shoulder. The soft wool collar of the jacket she'd found brushed only lightly against her cheek, pink in the rising suns.

The sunlight caught in her unopened eye, and she looked uncomfortable for only a moment. Her eyes fluttered open slowly and stared unseeingly about her. Cain felt as if it was partially his fault, although he'd done nothing to incite her waking. Her eyes locked on Cain, who stood nearby, hands in his pockets.

"Morning, Princess," he said quietly, unsure of what else to say.

A smile curled up on her face, slow and careful. She scrunched back into herself, and then stretched out on the ground with a yawn. "How long was I asleep?"

"Only about four hours," Cain said, stepping quietly to her side. "You should get some more rest. If the road's still empty in a few hours, I think we're gonna chance running it in daylight."

"Is that all?" she grumbled slightly. She sat up to meet him halfway. "I think I'd rather have some breakfast."

"If you're getting any sleep, it's—"

"I'm not tired, really," she said, and winced when Az turned over in her sleep. She lowered her voice and reiterated: "I'd rather have breakfast."

Cain sighed, and she knew exactly the thoughts in his head—she'd seen it so many times, the look she'd come to associate with concession, albeit grudging concession. She smiled happily at her victory. He extended his hand down to her, and she gladly took it, pulling herself up beside him. They stepped together back into the center of camp, where DG took a water skin and began the task of rudimentarily brushing her teeth. Cain dug into the rations Jeb had packed and pulled out a simple mix of dried fruit and nuts. She smiled wanly.

"That looks exciting," she murmured as she sat beside him on the ground.

"No complaining," he warned as she took the bag from him. "And don't fill yourself up on it, either. We've got to make all of this stuff last 'til Central City."

As she dug into the bag of trail rations, her lower lip wobbled of its own volition. Cain was suddenly turned to her, eyes searching hers. "DG?"

She attempted to smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. They were soft and wet, and she set the bag down beside her before she could cry into it. "I'm sorry," she said in a muffled voice as she wiped away the tears before they broke through. She took a steadying breath, shook out her hands to rid them of tension and pulled her knees up to her chest. "I'm fine." Her voice was anything but steady.

"No you're not," Cain said flatly, removing his hat to observe her better.

"Yes I am," she muttered back.

"No," he said again, slightly more forcefully, "you're not."

"How would you know, anyway?" She asked, looking to her feet. Her eyes flicked to his, and she was almost insulted at the faint smile he seemed to have adopted. His thumb was warm on her cheek as he wiped away the tears she didn't know were there.

"If you're as fine as you say you are, you wouldn't be crying," he told her, and though it was the most obvious thing in the world, he didn't sound the least bit condescending.

She took another steadying breath, rubbing at her eyes. When she looked back up at him, her lower lip quivered just slightly. "I'm worried, Wyatt."

His mouth fell slightly open, and if the rosy light of morning hadn't been shining into the clearing, she might have thought that his face had taken on that light dusting of blush.

"Wh—" The word didn't leave his mouth in full, and it sounded more like a breath than anything. There was a moment where the forest breathed with them, and DG realized suddenly that she had actually thrown the Tin Man. He was looking at her in a way he probably shouldn't have been, a way that made her head go light and fuzzy again. Before she could say or do anything about it, however, Cain had composed himself.

"What's got you so worried, Princess?" He asked, taking a steeling breath.

Her shoulders sagged at the moment lost, but her mind told her to continue nonetheless. "My parents. My mother gave up her magic for me a long time ago; otherwise she'd have no problem fighting back. And my father," she paused for a laugh that might have been bitter if she had been a different person, "he's not exactly an athlete. If Zero wants a fight, he's gonna win. And I'm worried that he will."

Cain met her straight on, watching her eyes for any change. His arm slipped effortlessly around her shoulder and pulled her into his warm embrace. She just let it happen, let the tears hitch up in her chest and prick at her eyes.

"Hey, you listen to me," he said, his breath playing in her hair near her ear. "I knew your mother a long time back, after she sent you to the Other Side. She's no pushover, DG. If Zero wanted a fight, she'd match him blow for blow." She didn't have to see him to know that he was smiling. "She reminds me of you." He pulled back to catch her eyes, to make sure she heard. "Don't sell yourself short. I know you better than that."

She was very, very close. And he was very, very close to her, she noticed. He still smelled like the warmth of grass and leaves and sleep—something else less easily defined pulled at her; like Wyatt Cain, like leather and sadness. He was looking at her, into her, through her in a way that she'd only read about before. She decided then and there that she wanted to kiss him. It wasn't a new feeling, but it was stronger now than she'd ever felt it. She wetted her lips nervously, watching him closely for any change. His eyes were so blue, like crystal, like nothing she'd ever seen, and she swallowed her heart back into her chest before leaned in ever so slightly.

The thundering sounds of hoof beats clattered by on the road, causing DG to jump back nearly a foot, a hand to her heart. Cain nearly fell backward, barely managing to catch himself after DG vaulted from his arms. He only just had time to regain his footing and dash to the edge of the clearing to catch sight of who-or-whatever rode by so quickly. He caught a glimpse of a dark horse and a rider garbed in black. Longcoat.

"Dammit," Cain growled, watching as the Longcoat disappeared down the road. He turned back into camp, where DG still sat on the ground, trying to hide her face in her hair. "Looks like sleep is gonna have to wait. That was a Longcoat, probably found his way out of the wine cellar." He paused as he headed over to his son to wake him, staring at the girl on her knees. "DG?"

"I'm good," she said, rising to her feet and trying her best not to look at him. "You, ah… You get Jeb and Ambrose. I'll get Az."

"All right," he said, not quite satisfied with her answer but aware of the new time limit put on their journey to the Freedom Fighter's camp. He leaned down to sadly jostle his son awake as DG picked her way carefully over to Azkadellia's softly sleeping form.

"Az," she whispered, shaking her shoulder.

Her sister groaned and turned. "Ohh, how long was I out?"

"Cain said about four hours," DG said quietly, her eyes drifting up to the man in the hat across the clearing. "But that's all we're allowed, apparently. Someone might've gotten out of the castle."

"Someone that might be headed for Central City," Cain added as he applied the toe of his boot into Ambrose's side to wake him. The man snorted awake, jumping to his feet with hands held in a strange defensive position.

"Who's that?" he cried suddenly, eyes sweeping the clearing for danger. "I'll take 'em all! C'mon, who wants some?!"

Cain stared him down with narrowed eyes, and Glitch slowly lowered his fists. "Oh, ah… Fancy meeting you here? DG!" He turned to her, a smile on his face. "You look lovely!"

Trying to hide the residual effects of her moment with Cain that were apparently still all over her face, she just waved him off. He looked fully rested, even with the short amount of sleep available to them, and brushed off his sleeves in a merry way. Jeb looked less enthusiastic. He sagged in his sleeplessness, but held himself as tall as he could. DG felt for him—trying to look strong, no matter what, in front of the princesses and, most importantly, his father.

Az took DG's proffered hand and pulled herself to her feet. She wobbled slightly, a hand to her forehead, but once everyone in the clearing was leaned in to catch her if need be, she only smiled and shook her head.

"No need to cart me around over the shoulder, Mr. Cain," Az announced. "I'm quite fine."

"If you say so, Highness," Cain returned, although his face held a level of concern that he normally reserved for DG. "You all right, Jeb?"

"Never better," he lied. "Come on, it's not too much farther to the camp. A two hour walk, if we stick to the road."

"You lead," Cain insisted, checking around the camp to make sure they'd left nothing behind. He stooped down to pick up the trail rations DG hadn't touched, and as she and Az began to follow Jeb back out to the road, he handed it to her.

"Here you go, Princess," he told her. "Be nice and share with your sister." His smile was light, but it was something he'd saved just for her.

"Thanks," she began, taking it from his outstretched hand. "…Wyatt."

He said nothing else, and if he was thinking anything at all, he didn't let it show on his face. He made sure his hat was securely atop his head and joined up with Glitch alongside Jeb. The road opened up before them, and after they listened for any activity behind or ahead of them, the five took off for the camp of the former resistance fighters.

The camp looked nearly the same as the one in which Cain rediscovered his long lost son. The dress was informal and tatty at its worst, and carts full of weapons were stashed periodically around the wood they had taken up. The air of rebellion, however, had lessened. There were smiles, and things looked cleaner, more organized. A few of the fighters were wearing the red and gold of the commissioned uniforms the Queen had sent for. Others seemed too humble to wear them, or perhaps not ready to give up the way of life they'd become so used to. Jeb walked into camp first, leaving the others hidden to announce Azkadellia. He had told them the story of her possession, of course, but he had to be sure that no one would attempt anything rash upon seeing her this close, and in person.

Az paced behind the line of thick bushes Jeb had left them behind, clutching her hands and looking the spitting image of her mother. DG watched, worried, but unable to think of anything clever to assure her.

"Think about it this way," Glitch interjected into the silence, pacing alongside her and matching her stride. "You've got a Royal Guardian, the Leader of the Freedom Fighters and a royal advisor to take care of you, even if something _does_ happen."

"Thank you for the encouragement, Ambrose," she said quietly, "but I'm not sure how much help a royal advisor will be."

"It's all about rhythm. You'd be surprised," Glitch added under his breath. "If someone so much as looks at you funny, I'll be all over them like… like…" He taxed his brain, as if someone had turned off one of his switches.

"Like a zipper on a Headcase?" Cain suggested, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Something like that," Glitch responded, screwing up his face in thought. "Nope, it's gone. Sorry, Your Highness."

Az smiled, something pretty and soft that had disappeared for fifteen annuals. Glitch returned it, almost guiltily, and said nothing more.

Jeb reappeared with much rustling of leaves, and he held the branches back behind him. "Well, we've got a few skeptics, but they're ready as they're going to be. Highness," he said, turning to face Az, "I'll stay near you. If we're close together, it'll probably settle some nerves."

"Thank you, Jeb," Az said, her best strong face shining through. "I'll quell the urge to crush their bones to make my bread."

DG snorted as she tried to stifle a giggle and quickly pretended it didn't happen. Cain and Ambrose looked thoroughly confused at the reference, and DG quickly mentioned a children's story told by their father, and Other Sider. They took it at that, and they stepped through into the resistance camp.

Since Jeb's arrival had heralded their own, many were waiting for them to appear. Faces young and old alike stared out from amongst the tents and tables to watch as the princesses and their protectors arrived. Someone began to clap, and while it didn't become a rapturous round of applause, it was enough for Azkadellia. The faces were not filled with hate, only with apprehension and curiosity. This was the woman they had fought for annuals, and here she was, in their midst, and without fear.

Her strides were long and full of strength. She walked at Jeb's side, and she did not hide her face. Nor was she proud. She was just Az, a girl who hadn't been allowed to grow up, with responsibility thrust upon her and taken just as easily. DG had never respected her more.

The fighters also welcomed back their leader with wide embraces and cheerful words. They bowed as DG and her sister approached, but both beseeched them to stand, and not to lower their heads on the princesses' behalves. Cain nearly laughed. Those who remembered Glitch and Jeb's father welcomed them into camp once again, though now in a different place. Jeb, however, kept them walking until they reached the largest tent. He swept aside the hanging cloth door and gestured the others in.

Inside, there was a large, round wooden table, and four other men had gathered around it. They looked up and removed their hats as the princesses entered.

"There's no formalities here," Jeb said quickly, and closed the door after Glitch joined them. "We're all just folk."

"Understood, sir," one older man said, nodding stiffly in militaristic fashion. Jeb nearly blushed at the action.

"Er… DG, Az, this is the captain of the western battalion, Geoffrey Harkness. Hark, this is—"

"Princess DG," Hark said with a short bow. "And Princess Azkadellia. It would be hard not to recognize them." He was taller than Jeb, nearly matching Cain, but with thick black hair that was cropped just as closely as the Tin Man's. He sported a mustache that was spotted with gray, speaking his age, and a smile came slowly to the man's lips. "I've heard much tell about you, Princess Azkadellia."

"I prefer just Az, now, if you don't mind, Mr. Harkness."

"Sorry to impose, Highness," Hark said again, his hat still removed, "but it makes me feel more gentlemanly to call you Princess."

"I'll allow it," she said softly, feeling more out of place in the tent than she had amongst the rabble of fighters.

Jeb continued the introduction of the men around the table: Dale Cole, leader of the northern resistance; Raymond Brooks, of the eastern front; Tony Wagner, captain of the southern battalion. They all shook hands with Cain and Glitch, and despite Jeb's call for informality, bowed to each princess.

"Fill us in, won't you, Jeb?" Hark asked, pulling out a chair for DG, who politely accepted.

Jeb nodded, taking his own seat. "As you know, Emma and I were away at the ball held at Finaqua. And, as you've probably guessed, it didn't go as planned." The face of the boy DG had come to know was suddenly gone, and the resistance fighter was suddenly back inside of him. "Our old friends the Longcoats are back. And they're being led by that traitor, Adrian Zero."

"Zero!" Hark scoffed, followed by a few skeptical looks among the others. "Thought we locked that son-of-a-bitch up for good!"

"Well, we thought wrong," Jeb interceded quickly. "He's out, and his first stop was Finaqua." He cut straight to the goods, leaving out any unnecessary details. DG almost smiled; he was so much like his father. "The Longcoats stormed the ball and overwhelmed us. While our group and another led by Emma managed to escape, not only were plenty of ball goers captured, but Queen Lavender and Consort Ahamo as well."

"You're pulling our legs, sir!" Dale Cole protested, looking around for support from his fellows.

"Believe it," Cain muttered, standing directly behind DG's chair. "I'd know that little rat anywhere, and Jeb saw Zero take them with his own eyes." This seemed to breech no argument, and Jeb thanked his father with his eyes.

"What I'm here for is your spoils, Captain Hark," Jeb said, a light smile coming into his eyes. "That Longcoat truck you seized in the western territories."

"It's hardly functioning, sir," Hark said with his thick black eyebrows turned up in concern.

"We've got a bona fide mechanic on our hands who's willing to take the job," Jeb retorted.

"And who's that?" Hark looked up at Glitch doubtfully.

"Me," DG proclaimed proudly.

Under Jeb's instructions, DG had been placed at the head of the rebuild team. He supplied what little forces he had who knew anything about Longcoat machinery. Two greasy young men, and one little brunette girl maybe five years younger than DG. The youngest princess had shed her outer coat and rolled up the sleeves on her cottony green blouse. She stared down at it sadly, knowing that it was soon to become spotted with grease, dirt and other assorted unclean things. She didn't even have to ask as Cain handed her an extra shirt from the pack he'd kept while moving with Jeb's camp.

She emerged from a tent wearing one of Cain's button-up shirts, a gray that was nearly black. It was loose on her frame, and she'd rolled the sleeves past her elbows and had only halfheartedly tucked it into her jeans. It smelled like him, and she let it fill her head.

In only half a minute, only her legs stuck out from under the truck. It was roughly the same size as the one they'd stolen from DeMilo in Central City, but the build was very different. Instead of a wide-open cargo area, there were two bench seats on either side—to house Longcoat troops over long distances, she assumed. It had been outfitted with cold gray steel on the outside, and looked threatening with spikes jutting off of it for protection against resistance. Some good those had done, DG thought with a scoff. Hark and his men had taken it down with a few sharpened sticks and a deep rut dug into the road.

DG groped around for the toolbox and suddenly felt her sister's hand in her own. She'd known the familiar tingling their combined magics sent through her fingertips. "Az, watch out, I'm covered in oil and God-knows what else."

"It's all right, I don't mind," Az told her. Neither could see the others' face, but they knew it didn't matter.

"Fine," DG laughed. "Hand me the 8/16ths, please." Az dug around inside of the toolbox until she came up with something with the numbers DG mentioned on it. Her sister took it and began to make a great noise from under the truck. Az, sitting on her knees beside the truck, took a furtive glance around to make sure that DG's assistants were off on their assigned missions before she leaned in clandestinely.

"So, how did you get Mr. Cain out of his shirt?"

In her surprise, DG knocked her head against something in the underbelly of the truck, and she swore in a way that might have curled even her assistants' greasy hair. Az flushed at the word usage, and her head darted up to check if they were still alone. While someone had noticed the obscenities being growled from under the truck, they remained far away.

"What does _that_ mean?" DG demanded, emerging from under the truck quickly with a hand to her forehead. Her cheeks were red, and Az could see right through her.

"What's up with you, Deege?"

"I, ah…" DG pressed her palms against her face in attempts to make the blush disappear, but all she managed to do was get engine grease all over her face. "I kinda almost kissed him this morning."

"What?" Az hissed in a whisper, but her face was alight. "What did he do? Did he start it? Tell me everything!"

"There's nothing to tell," DG mumbled into her hands. "We were just talking about Mother and Father, and we were really close, and I just felt…" Her hands hung before her, like they were suddenly useless. "I felt like he was a magnet, and I was made of metal." She shook her head, regretting any thoughts of the sort. "He didn't do anything. I don't know if he even _noticed_."

"That's something he would notice, Deege. Even someone as thick as Mr. Cain." She glanced around again furtively.

DG shook her head again. "He didn't say anything about it."

Az sighed through her nose. "What's the use of gossip if there's nothing to gossip about?" At DG's horrified expression, Az nearly laughed. "No, I didn't mean it that way. I meant between us. Sisters simply _must_ have something to gossip about."

"This doesn't leave the toolbox," DG said gravely. Az nodded, the corners of her lips turned up pleasantly.

"Okay, little sister." Her face softened, and she gripped DG's filthy hand comfortingly. "Don't get swept up, Deege. We need your feet on the ground."

"I'm fine," DG assured her. "No worries. Now, hand me the screwdriver."

DG and her assistants worked on the engine together, as well as the damaged chassis, late into the afternoon. Others had gathered to offer their help, including Ambrose and Cain. The royal advisor suggested connecting the output from the glowing green power generators directly to the cylinders, bypassing the main router and in effect pumping more speed and power straight into the source. He shrugged at the compliments, something Ambrose would never have done in his own day. But, it seemed, Glitch was there to stay, and the two were just going to have to learn to work together.

Cain leaned over DG, offering whatever tool she asked for and holding a loose end while she took the pliers in to trim. Azkadellia watched them carefully from a safe distance, a faint smile on her lips and a warm cup of hot chocolate provided by Captain Hark in her hands. He stood nearby, his arms crossed in amazement as he watched Princess DG in all her filthiness fix up the Longcoat transport.

The young girl assigned to DG lifted herself up into the driver's seat and pulled out the dark gray lever and punched the dark red button on the dash before her. The others had pulled away from the engine and waited with breath held in anticipation. With an animalistic growl, the truck rumbled to life. A great cheer went up among the amateur mechanics.

Jeb saw his father smile and laugh victoriously. DG jumped up into Cain's arms in the thrill of success and he cinched his arms about her waist despite the oil and grease and general grubbiness. As she pumped her fists in the air in exhilaration, Cain spun her, just laughing and grinning up at the girl in his arms.

* * *

AN: Here I am again! This one took me a while, because I wanted to get everything right. That, and my friends kidnapped me last night for an AquiEstan-a-thon (Resi Evil 4 until 4 AM... omg). I feel really good with this chapter. I don't know why, it just feels complete to me. Probly because it's another long one, returning to the tradition. I'm usually not a long chapter person, but CDG does this to me! Erm, as for Ambrose and the truck-talk, I really know nothing about vehicles and repairing them, and I threw in some glowing green stuff because it IS the O.Z., so some things are bound to be different. Tell me how I'm doin' so far, if you like the CDG I'm coming up with (or if it's making you want to vomit XD), oh, and Captain Hark! He may or may not show up again, so feedback on him would be awesome. Wow, my ANs get long. Uh... keep this short... STAY AWESOME, DARNIT! 


	8. Chapter 7: The Man with the Plan

**Chapter Seven: The Man with the Plan  
**

Someone was always up and moving in the camp of the Freedom Fighters. DG never considered herself a light sleeper, but every now and then, a footstep outside the tent she shared with Azkadellia and a few of the women in camp would wake her. The voices were soft and far away, and she never quite heard what they were going on about. The clink of plates and cups from the dining tent sounded distant in the crystal clear night, and the soft breathing of those sleeping near her were the only other sounds in the night. It was comforting, but at the same time, she felt suddenly and inexplicably alone.

As she stared at the small gap between the tent wall and the hanging curtain of the door, it rustled in the wind of someone walking by. The figure pause at her door, and fingers curled on the curtain to pull it only slightly aside. DG feigned sleep while keeping one eye open barely a slit to see who was looking in on them. She figured that if it was an enemy, the camp would've been all over him already, so her flight or fight subdued itself easily.

The figure breathed deep and low, a sound she'd come to know. He shifted slightly in the doorway, and the light of the moon barely caught the side of his face. His eye was bright and blue and soft as he looked down on the girl he thought to be sleeping. She'd know that eye anywhere; she'd spent long minutes probing his eyes for anything, any thought or any emotion he tried to hide away.

He didn't smile. He didn't have to. It was written all over his eyes. She quickly made sure that her eyes were shut under his close scrutiny, should he discover her watching him watching her. He took one last, long look and removed his hand from the flap. It rustled gently back to its former position, leaving only a short crack for moonlight to spill in. His footsteps were slow and casual as he walked away from the tent, and she listened to them until they were gone.

She sat up quickly after he'd gone, waiting until her heart settled from its frantic sort of rhythm. What was _that_ all about? She hovered on the edge of moving further toward the curtain and just settling back in for sleep. Her tiredness beat her curiosity, and she lay back down into the borrowed bedroll and let herself be lulled back to sleep by nightly noises. When she closed her eyes, all she could see were the eyes of Wyatt Cain watching her sleep, quiet and calm and wonderful.

They were up bright and early with the suns. Az looked refreshed and full of a life she seemed to have been missing for a very long time. While the others were quietly waking, DG pondered on letting Az in on Cain's appearance the night previous. She decided against it and met her older sister with a wide, sincere smile. The plan was to take a quick breakfast with the resistance and pile into the Longcoat truck to take it to Central City. How quick was quick remained to be seen.

DG poked her head out of the tent to scope the landscape for any strangers who might or might not be after them. She was met by Glitch's jovial eyes. "Morning, DG," he said brightly.

DG jumped back, hand at her heart. "Geez, Glitch."

Glitch jumped back as well. "What?" His eyes darted around for danger. "What was that?"

"It was you," DG said with something that might have been a laugh.

"It was?" Glitch asked quietly, as if someone was listening in. An embarrassed look flashed across his expressive face and the smile dropped away. He crossed his arms and dropped his eyes nervously. "To be honest, I don't think I know what I'm doing half of the time. I don't think I know what I'm doing half—" He shook his head quickly, like a dog. He raised his voice, as if speaking over a loud room. "You ever feel like it's really crowded up there?" To emphasize the point, he ground the heel of his palm into his temple.

"Oh, Glitch," DG sighed sadly. She stepped forward to remove his hand from his head to pull him into a tight embrace. "I don't care how many of you there are. You know that."

"I guess so," he said, straining through her tight hug and patting her softly on the back in return.

"You hungry?" She asked, pulling back to offer him an encouraging smile.

"Am I ever!" He brightened quickly, and he took DG's hand in his own to take her off toward the dining tent. He stopped in a flash, however, and turned to Azkadellia, who was still standing in the entrance of their tent. "What about you, Azkadee?"

She seemed startled at the form of address, and for a moment she said nothing. Then, with the surprise still on her pretty face, she said: "Yes, I'm hungry too, Ambrose."

"Come on, then," he called her over with a wave of his hand. As she stepped up to his side, he took her hand in his own and pulled the two princesses with him toward the dining tent. DG looked over at her sister as they bumped along behind the royal advisor, and Az's face curled up in a pretty, confused smile. DG couldn't help but laugh.

It was an open air tent, the sides pulled up to reveal the entire camp around them, and already a crowd had gathered to make and serve food. One of them was the girl that had been DG's assistant on the truck job. She smiled brightly as the three approached, holding a ready-made plate out before her.

"Here, Ambrose, I made you a plate." She said quickly, rushing up to face him. He dwarfed her, almost more than a head taller than the brunette girl. She had her hair in two short plaits that barely hung over her shoulders. Her childish freckles stood out under her eyes.

Glitch dropped the hands of the princesses as they entered the tent. He inspected the plate with his eyes, then slowly raised his hands up to take it from her. "Er, thank you?"

"My name's Delilah," she said with a little bob.

"Hello, there, Delilah," Glitch said, slightly unnerved by the girl's sudden appearance. "I, ah... I think I'll go eat now." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder to the nearby table that had been set up and backed away. "Gotta keep up my strength," he added with a nervous little twitter of a laugh.

Delilah smiled warmly at DG, but when her eyes flashed up to Az, something about them changed. Coldness, and just a pinch of fear. She tried to erase it with a polite smile, but it fell flat. The girl simply turned and returned to the food she was helping to prepare. Az said nothing in return and turned away from DG to join Glitch at the table he'd found. DG was left standing alone between them.

She helped herself to a scoop of hot oatmeal, and another to be sure. There was no knowing when their next meal might be, so she felt that she should make this one worth as much as she could. Delilah handed her a fruit that looked a bit like a pink banana, and while the Other Sider gave it an odd look, she took it nonetheless.

While she walked away to join Ambrose and Az—she had taken to sharing off of his plate at his suggestion—she shot a look backward at the girl with brown pigtails. She found that Wyatt Cain walked into her line of sight, adjusting the long coat on his shoulders as he came to walk beside her.

"Azka—The Witch had Delilah's father put to death," Cain said quietly. "Don't be surprised if she isn't exactly welcoming your sister with open arms."

"Good morning to you, too, Wyatt," DG responded.

A strange, bemused expression took his face. "Why the sudden change of name?"

"I like the sound of it," she said, looking down at her feet to be sure she didn't trip and spill her oatmeal hither and tither. "Wyatt," she said again, slower and being sure to pronounce every single letter. Her smile appeared without contestation, and Cain shook his head only slightly.

"You're a handful, Princess," he said, shoving his hands into his pockets.

She took a seat beside her sister and held up the strange fruit she'd been given. "Glitch, what's this?"

"Oh," he said quickly, his mouth still half-full. "That's a..." He paused, thinking quite hard. "That's a... Well, DG, that's just a banana."

"But it's pink," she protested, looking at the thing in her hand as if it might bite her.

Glitch shrugged. "You should see some of the horses..."

Although still apprehensive, DG peeled the fruit and took a tentative bite. It was a bit sweeter than the bananas she was used to, and had only the slightest hint of what could only be peach. Her face broke into a grin. "That's amazing. Forget yellow bananas, I'm for pink all the way."

"As much as I'd love to sit around discussing breakfast," Cain began, not sitting but leaning his hand down on the table beside DG, "we've got quite a bit of road ahead of us, and truck or not, it's still a long trip."

"What are we gonna do once we get there?" Glitch asked, scooting his plate over to Azkadellia without even looking at it. "It's not like the Longcoats will be holding signs up at the gate with 'Zero's Lair This Way' written on them."

"He has a point," Az said quietly. "That foul man could be hiding anywhere in the city. Especially with all of the Longcoats he seems to have amassed." She looked down at Glitch's plate when she said it. There seemed to be guilt laced in her words, but no one jumped up to blame her.

"I wonder what their angle is," DG muttered.

"Sometimes they don't need an angle, Princess," Cain murmured. "Sometimes they're just in it for kicks." The look in his eye spoke more than his voice did, and DG left it at that.

"Well, you're the man with the plan," Glitch said, gesturing in Cain's general direction.

"You wouldn't like it," Cain said absently, pushing himself away from the table to leave. DG grabbed him just above the wrist to halt him.

"I think I'd rather not like it now than not like it while we're sitting at the city gates," she told him plainly.

He made that face again, the one she knew meant his grudging acquiescence. At her bidding, he took the seat beside her and leaned in toward the others. They took his hint and gathered their head in close together.

"We know that Zero wants the princesses, and me and Jeb. There's no way in hell he's getting his hands on you two," he said, looking straight at DG as he did. "Not while I'm still breathing." He left a large gap of silence before he looked away to Glitch and Az. "I should go to him, alone, to negotiate the release of the Queen and Consort."

"I don't like that plan," DG said quickly.

Cain rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I already said that. Look, the last thing we want is for all of us to walk into Zero's hands."

"And you think it's smart to deliver our Royal Guardian right to him?" DG asked incredulously.

"If anything happened to me, you'd have Glitch and Jeb to get you back out of the city," he said quickly to counter her.

"I don't want Glitch and Jeb," DG protested. She turned to the man across from her. "No offense, Glitch."

"None taken," he replied. "I wouldn't want me either."

DG twirled back to face Cain, looking slightly irate. "My mother put you in charge of keeping me and Az safe. That doesn't mean you get to go off on a fancy suicide mission."

"What, you think it's better for _you_ to throw yourself at Zero's feet?" Cain shot back. It was turning into an argument, and it was obvious that both Glitch and Az were suddenly uncomfortable.

"What about reconnaissance? Sneaking in and taking them down? It was good enough for me, but not for my parents?"

"That's..." Cain suddenly lost his track, and his face fell. "That's different."

"It is," DG snapped. "It's different because now we don't have an evil witch breathing down our necks. We have a small invasion force, the best brain in the O.Z. and a magical princess behind us."

"You're too kind," Glitch said with a quirk of a smile.

"We can do this," DG insisted.

A slow, sad look took his eyes as he watched her. The same way he had looked at her before they broke into Azkadellia's tower, as if he had something to say but couldn't. She ignored it to the best of her ability.

"I know you can," he said finally. With a reluctant smirk, he added: "That's why I don't like it."

"It's decided. We're coming with you." DG placed her hands at her hips like a mother scolding her child.

"I'll_ think_ about it," he corrected. He looked past her to Azkadellia, who was dangerously close to breaking into nervous laughter. "You want to go on this little misadventure too?"

"I'll stay with the truck," she said with a smile spreading over her face. Glitch laughed brightly.

"You know, you're a lot funnier now," Glitch said absently. He paused, and something of Ambrose flickered in him. "You never were really funny in the first place, so I guess anything would be an improvement."

After only a moment, Az managed to join him with her own light laughter.

They met again at the truck once they had taken care of their morning routines and gathered all of their things together. Az and DG had been given clothing more suited to travel than was generally found in the castle by the women of the camp, and they came out of the tent looking both like royalty and refugees. Az had been outfitted in a soft, brown tunic that was long and hung to her knees, buttoned up in the front with a high neck. Over it, she wore the riding jacket, and under the riding pants. Her hair was braided in a long queue behind her.

DG had also been given a tunic, but this one was shorter and colored a dark forest green. She kept her jeans on under, politely refusing to relinquish them. She kept the coat she had found in her wardrobe at Finaqua for the selfish reason that it reminded her of Cain's.

Jeb and Glitch were waiting for them, doing their last rounds as they inspected the truck and their supplies. Delilah was nearby, a wrench in hand should something spontaneously fall off of the vehicle. Cain arrived at the same time as the princesses, his eyes on the ground. He looked up as Glitch made a low whistle. The advisor had observed the approaching women, and DG smiled wonderfully at the compliment.

She spun once to show off her new threads. The morning sun caught in her dark hair as it twirled around her, framing her face. She came to a stop, her smile hanging on her pretty face gone pink. "What do you think?" she asked in general.

"It suits you," Jeb said diplomatically.

"Fantastic," Glitch said buoyantly. "You shine up like a new emerald, Highness."

Cain fumbled for a smile, and it took him a moment to completely assemble it. "You look great, DG." The smile she flashed back at him was full and soft, and he was quick to find words to inject into his silence. "Ah, we should get going."

"Pardon," came a voice from nearby. Heads popped up to catch the newcomer in their sights.

"Hark," Jeb said with surprise.

"If it's not imposing," Hark said as he approached, "I'd like to ask your permission to come along with you, sir." He clicked his heels together as he stood before Jeb.

It was obvious Jeb wanted to simply ask 'Why?' but he straightened his back in an official way.

"The men and women here need guidance while I'm away. I've said I would like them to look to you."

"If I may speak freely, sir?" Hark asked, replacing the hat atop his head. It was not unlike Cain's in style, but was dark, muddy brown in color.

"Go ahead," Jeb responded, nodding.

"Sir, this is a sensitive situation you're getting yourselves into. The Queen and Consort held hostage? In Central City, no less? You and your father might be enough to take care of the princesses, but to take out a brigade of Longcoats, you'll need all the help you can get."

"I'll have you know—" Ambrose began proudly, but Cain's arm in his stomach shut him up promptly.

"I have experience with Longcoats," Hark said quickly. "And I'm looking to take down a few more before I head over the hill there's no coming back from. It'd be an honor to serve Princess DG and Azkadellia." He bowed slightly in their presence.

Jeb shot a look sideways at his father, but Cain deferred the responsibility. "He's your man, son. It's your call."

"Well then, Captain Hark," Jeb said, returning his gaze to the taller man, "I accept your request on the condition that you follow not only my orders, but my father's as well."

Hark smiled underneath his mustache in a way that led DG to believe that he wasn't as old as his looks told. "You have my word, sir."

Cain held open the loading door in the back of the truck, and Jeb helped Az to climb in. Glitch followed after, waving a salute to the Tin Man at the door. He sighed as DG made to step up as well.

"Guess that means I'm driving this hunker?" He asked, watching Hark climb up into the back of the truck.

"The controls are basically the same as DeMilo's truck," she told him, leaning slightly on the door he held ajar. "It shouldn't be a problem... Should it?"

"I might need someone up there with me," he said, his eyes on her hands instead of her eyes. "In case it _becomes_ a problem."

"You just want me to sit next to you," DG chided with a slowly growing smile. She was surprised at the shock that crossed Cain's face, however quickly. "Okay," she said after a moment.

He closed the loading door and stepped quickly to open hers before she could get to it. She sidled into the passenger seat and let him close it after her. He joined her on the opposite side of the cab in an instant, and tilted his hat back to see better.

"The lever there," she said, indicating the dark gray one Delilah had pulled yesterday, "puts it in gear, and the button links the engine up to the power source and starts it."

"Got it," Cain reported back, rubbing his hands together.

"Let's get this show on the road," she said enthusiastically. She jerked the lever out, and a mechanical clanking issued from the front of the truck. Cain punched the button on the dash and his hands retreated to the steering wheel in a flash. There was only a short pause as all the connecters fired, and suddenly, the engine was alive and growling.

DG pumped her fist enthusiastically, and Cain pressed his foot down on the pedal. They jerked forward once, causing a mingled cry of surprise from the back, then smoothed out and began to roll forward.

"Let's hope we make it to Central City in one piece," Jeb muttered, poking his head through the window between the cab and riding area. DG gave him a thumbs up.

"Your dad's a great driver. No worries."

"Through snow and rain and sleet and hail—Hey where have I heard that before?" Glitch's voice muttered from somewhere in the back.

Cain left no time for any further words as he revved up the engine and bounced away from camp and toward the road. DG grabbed onto the dash for stability and quickly threw on her seatbelt. The road appeared, and Cain swerved slightly to hit it straight on. He threw the truck into the next gear, and they shot forward.

As their speed gathered and they were forced back into their seats, DG felt the same thrill as zooming down the highway on her motorcycle. Her smile was only for Cain, and he caught and reflected it as he cranked it up into the next gear. The shift shock shook the whole truck, and it jumped forward even faster. Her hand shot out to cover his on the shifting lever and clutched tightly. He didn't protest.

* * *

AN: Hey folks, sorry about the wait on this one! BUT exciting news, I just bought the Tin Man Soundtrack! That means I get to listen to Tin Man while I write Tin Man! It's freakin' awesome. I suggest it to anyone who likes film music. Anyway, back to the chapter! Those of you who liked/wanted more Hark, here you go! He's coming along! I had a lot of fun writing Glitch in this chapter, just because he was mostly Glitch-y. It's an intermediate chapter, sure, and kinda short, but I hope that doesn't detract from the enjoyment! Poor CDG, it's not sure where it wants to go! I'm having so much fun with this, and I love, LOVE you all for sticking with me. It means a lot, and I know I've said it before, but it's true. Thanks for keeping me going and giving me your love! I give my love in return! As long as you STAY AWESOME!! 


	9. Chapter 8: Central City

**Chapter Eight: Central City**

The roads had been cleared of traffic. They'd seen no one since they left the resistance camp nearly an hour ago. This did not bode well. DG was the only one to ask why.

"Means the Longcoats probably took control of the main road to Central City," Cain replied, keeping his eyes on the road. "If that's true, we're probably gonna hit a blockade. When we do, I want you and Az hiding in the back. We can take care of it."

DG pulled a face, but Cain's eyes whipped around to stare seriously into hers. They hit a bump, and Cain was quick to look back to the front as he swerved only slightly.

"I mean it, DG," he said plainly.

She pouted and crossed her arms in a clear expression of displeasure. Hark made a short chuckle as he cleaned the gun in his lap. "She's a little firebrand, ain't she?" he asked, flicking his eyes up to the two in the cab.

"Only when she doesn't get her way," Cain offered back, trying to hide the smile that came involuntarily to his lips.

"I'm not a little girl," DG grumbled at the both of them. "I know you're talking about me."

"Look, Princess," Cain said as he slowed their speed slightly, "what do you think your mother would say if I showed up to rescue her from Zero and had to tell her that I didn't do everything in my power to protect you? Or Az?" He sighed a breath and glanced over at her. "I know you're not a kid. That doesn't mean I don't get worried when you run head-first into things without thinking."

He left it at that, and neither had anything further to say on the subject. Hark quirked a single eyebrow up at them and continued to clean his gun.

Just as Cain predicted, the blockade arrived before them within fifteen minutes. The guards standing one hundred yards from the blockade waved their arms for them to slow down. Seeing a truck of their own design, they were slightly less wary than normal, Cain supposed as he observed their placid faces. They couldn't see in through the tinted glass of the cab, but Cain pulled the brim of his hat down anyway. He motioned with his thumb for DG to take her place in the back with her sister. Jeb exchanged places with her, and father and son sat together.

"Glitch," Cain called quietly and he slowed his speed and pulled closer to the actual barricade of felled trees. "You take Hark out the back with you, or else they might try to scissor us. Close the princesses in behind you."

"Got it," Glitch said, standing near the loading door and cracking his knuckles. Hark flashed the royal advisor a strange look but didn't argue. If the Tin Man and Jeb placed faith in the strange man, who was he to argue?

"How many are there?" Hark asked, checking to be sure that his gun was loaded.

"Seven that I can see," Cain responded, slowly applying the brake. "Three behind, four in front. Jeb and I got them."

"Good luck, sir," Hark said to Jeb, quickly snapping his gun closed. Jeb nodded, unsheathing the sword that he had stolen from Zero ages ago.

"I still think—" DG began, holding tightly Az in the center of one of the bench seats, but Cain held up a hand quickly.

"It's all right, DG," he assured her. "We'll be back in no time."

The truck bumped to a halt several yards from the blockade, and the Longcoats began to move in around them. Cain caught Jeb's eye, and the younger nodded again. There was a faint smile on his lips.

"Go!" Cain urged suddenly.

At once, both doors of the cab flew open, as well as the one in the back. Such was the surprise that Jeb smacked one of the Longcoats in the face with his door. A spray of blood from the man's broken nose splattered on Jeb's window, and he leapt out toward the second man suddenly charging at him.

Cain jumped out and took a quick shot at the first man he saw. It hit him squarely in the chest and knocked him flat onto his back. The other man was too close too shoot as he charged in, and Cain took a wide swing at his jaw. They met with a sick crunch.

Glitch was out the back door feet first, clocking the first man he met with both, right under the jaw. There was a howl of pain and he hit the ground. Glitch stood over him and cracked his right foot into the side of the man's face for good measure. Hark took a quick shot at the remaining two approaching Longcoats as he shut the door hard behind him. One bullet hit the man's shoulder, and he reeled back at the velocity of the shot, but did not fall.

Az covered her ears and curled her chest up against her knees. Her eyes were squeezed shut, and she uttered an involuntary whimper. DG's head was up and alert, like a protective guard dog, ready at the slightest hint of danger. One hand cradled her older sister close to her, and the other smoothed Az's hair carefully, calmly.

Jeb's stolen sword met steel as the Longcoat blocked the swing with his long-barrelled gun. They both swiped their weapons back, glaring menacingly in the cold, long stare of battle. It pumped all the way into Jeb's fingers. He took another swing, swift and well-handled for an untrained boy. The gun flashed out again, used as a shield rather than a weapon. The Longcoat sneered a cold grin at Jeb and knocked the handguard of the sword with the butt of his long gun, and the hard metal bit into Jeb's hand. He only growled and response and doubled the strength of his return swing.

The man kicked up at Cain from the ground, the foot catching him behind the knee and pulling him to the ground with him. The ground was cold and hard, and Cain barely managed to catch himself on his hands. The Longcoat quickly had his arm around Cain's neck from behind, pressing hard at his throat to cut off air. Cain tried gasping only once and threw his elbow backward against the man's ribs. No use. He did so three more times, his mouth opening and closing with nothing to fill his lungs.

The final Longcoat reached Hark with a burst of speed and lashed out with a fist. Hark was quick to block, but couldn't estimate the second blow to his abdomen from the hand holding a black pistol. Hark doubled with a grunt and felt the cold barrel of the gun pressing into his fleshy middle. He might have popped off a shot if Glitch hadn't been quick to jab a straight hand into the man's throat. The Longcoat gagged violently, stumbling back with a hand at his neck. Glitch arched his leg up and cracked a windmill kick across the side of the man's head. He fell in an instant.

DG couldn't stand it any longer. She was up off of the bench seat and made her way up to the truck cab to stare out the front window at the proceedings, biting her lower lip in worry. The sight she saw made her heart stop for only an instant.

She saw it at the same time Hark and Glitch did as they rounded to the front of the truck. Four more Longcoats had appeared from the surrounding woods, all with pistols out and aiming at the Cains. Three bullets whizzed by harmlessly, and one cracked into the windshield of the truck. DG gasped and fell backward into the driver's seat as the glass spiderwebbed around the bullet embedded in the—thankfully—bullet-proof glass. She shuddered to think of what might have happened if the Longcoats had been cheap in their construction.

Hark cracked off two shots, taking down one of the four. Glitch planted his foot in the face of Cain's assailant, who rolled off him holding his nose. Cain was up on his feet in an instant, breathing deeply with one hand massaging his throat. The other hand held his gun straight at one of the new Longcoats that had arrived on the other side of the barricade.

Jeb was through with playing nice. His foot lashed out and caught the gun of the Longcoat. It jerked just enough to be out of the way, and the boy stabbed straight out at the man's now unguarded stomach. It made a sick, squelching sound. Jeb twisted it twice and pulled it out with a flourish. For good measure, he spat down on the man.

"Jeb, look out!" Hark cried, pulling the young man back by the shoulder. The bullet meant for him thudded into the side of the truck, right through the air Jeb had occupied only a moment ago.

The three remaining Longcoats vaulted over the barricade all at once, and the men barely had time to react. Just as they drew their guns together, all pointed at separate targets, the engine to the truck growled like some caged animal, and it leapt forward. The front of the truck collided with the barrier in with a loud crunch of metal and bones. Two were killed instantly. One coughed thick blood onto the hood of the truck and tried to aim his shaking gun through the already splintered glass of the windshield.

Cain's precise shot to the man's forehead made sure that he never got off that final shot.

The protectors took a combined breath. Cain shoved his gun into its holster once he was convinced that no one else was going to pop out of the trees. Jeb let his sword sink into the ground and clapped Hark on the shoulder in thanks. The engine grumbled to a stop.

DG hopped out of the driver's side of the truck, her breath short. "Is everyone all right?" she asked, looking around at her friends. Glitch smiled warmly, completely unscathed.

"Never better, doll," he assured her, making sure that his hair hadn't come down from its nicely-coiffed state.

Cain wasn't brimming with the same enthusiasm. He watched DG in a way that was angry and worried at the same time, something he seemed to have perfected. He opened his mouth to scold her, and he quickly shut into a thin, white line. She blinked in his direction, nonplussed.

"I stayed in the truck, didn't I?" She asked, knowing exactly the thoughts running behind his eyes.

His eyes flicked over hers, and without a word, he turned away. "Glitch, tell them to help get these trees out of the way. DG," he said, pausing in his stride, but not turning to look at her.

"Yes, Wyatt?" she asked.

"Back up the truck," he told her succinctly.

"DG, that was excellent," Jeb said as he and Hark joined them at Glitch's suggestion. He took the girl's hand in both of his to make his point.

"You weren't so bad yourself, cowboy," she said lightly with a smile. She looked up at the open driver's side door of the truck, where Az was seen poking her head out to observe everyone's condition. Jeb patted DG's hand and moved off to help his father, and Hark stopped to lay a hand on DG's shoulder as he passed by. She smiled after them and stepped toward the truck and her sister.

"That was quick thinking, Deege," Az said, sitting now in the driver's seat and looking pale.

"Hey," DG said quickly, laying a hand on her sister's knee. "Are you all right?"

"I'll be fine," she said, waving off her sister's concern. She smiled for her sister, plain and simple. "I haven't seen you in action for quite some time."

"I do what I can," DG said with a shrug.

They both turned to watch as the men grabbed the timber hooks used by the Longcoats and hauled the long logs far enough to let the truck pass through without injury. The dead Longcoats that had been pinned simply crumpled to the ground before the truck. Jeb observed the damage to the front of the vehicle and wiped away some of the blood with the arm of his long-sleeved red tunic.

"Looks like the engine's fine," he said, feeling the dent with his fingers. "She should run all right, but she's got a hole in her smile."

"She doesn't have to look pretty to get us to Central City," Cain said as he arrived beside his son, rolling one shoulder to crack it.

"How many more blockades could there be?" Hark asked, tipping the brim of his hat back to observe the others.

"Considering the amount of guards posted here," Ambrose cut in, observing a tear that had appeared in his dress uniform with narrowed eyes, "I'd say this is the main barrier. Perhaps one more near the city." He sighed and picked at the seam that was widening at his elbow and up his arm. "I _do_ tend to get myself in trouble, don't I?" He asked, a glint in his eye that spoke of adventure.

Fortunately for them, Ambrose had been wrong. On the main road, that had been the only blockade. The forest crowded in around them as the city neared and the numbers on the signs pointing toward town decreased. At a secluded point, Cain swerved off of the road and bumped into the brush. He pulled behind a thicket of trees and shut off the engine with a press of the red button. The engine whirred down with a purr and clicked off.

"Well," Cain prefaced, leaning heavily forward on the steering wheel, "there it is."

DG took her gaze up through the foliage to the glistening towers of Central City that hovered above everything. The clouds were low and mingled with the tallest of the towers. There would be rain, she could feel it. There was a smoky look about the city, but it also held an otherworldly glow that was anything but warm. It was just as uninviting now as it had been when she first arrived there. She scowled at the city, as if that might help in any way.

"My offer still stands, you know," Cain said, looking over to the girl beside him. "I go in, find Zero, and try to negotiate."

"Don't even think about it," DG scolded. "We both know he wants you dead. And with no one to back you up, he'd do it."

Identical looks of inspiration seized across their faces, and Cain's mouth dropped open slightly. DG began to smile in an 'are you thinking what I'm thinking' way. Surprisingly, Cain's mouth morphed into a smile all on its own, and his hand grasped her upper arm tightly.

"Princess, you're a genius."

"Hey, that's _my_ job," Ambrose protested from the back.

"First off," DG said, ignoring the advisor to look out of the cracked windshield, "how are we gonna get in? And better yet, how do we find Zero once we're in there?"

"I was a Tin Man stationed in Central City for a little over thirteen years," he told her with a knowing sideways smirk. "If there's a back way I don't know about, I was in a tin suit when they built it." He lowered his gaze at the towers that lay on the other side of the forest. "It can't have changed much in eight years. I'll find a way, Princess."

Her mind boggled with the math of trying to suddenly figure out how old Wyatt Cain really was. She shook her head to be rid of the thought of age difference. "You don't have to call me that."

His eyes on her were quiet, observant, something cool and questioning as opposed to the way he had watched her after she'd rammed the Longcoats with the truck. "DG," he corrected himself.

Glitch poked his head into the cab from the back. "Did we come up with a plan while I wasn't paying attention? I think it's important that we know the plan."

Cain rolled his eyes to stare back at Glitch. "All right, keep your zipper up."

They all gathered in the back of the truck, one big circle with heads ducked in, to plot and plan their invasion. Weapons were checked, and what little of the supplies they could fit into their pockets were packed away. Cain took the hatchet stored in the back of the truck to chop down a few of the younger trees to cover their transport. They would need it hidden and safe if they were to make a quick escape on it.

As they sat on the edge of the forest, watching and waiting, Cain turned his head to the girl beside him.

"I didn't say thank you," he mumbled, looking away to his feet when she looked up.

"No, you didn't," she answered. She was surprised to hear him chuckle. Typical DG response.

"Listen," he said, watching as Hark counted his bullets and Glitch ran his hand comfortingly over Azkadellia's. "I want you next to me," he told her quickly.

Before DG could blush, she forced it back down with a determined inward glare.

"When we go in, there's no telling where the Longcoats are gonna be, and who's on their side. Jeb and Glitch have Az, and I trust them to take care of her. I don't trust anyone else with you."

She bit at her lower lip in the effort it took not to spring up into his arms, or something similarly embarrassing. "Not even me?" she asked instead.

"_Especially_ not you," he added with a shake of his head. "I know you too well."

That did it. Her ears were definitely red and burning. She was weak and she knew it. "You're stuck with me then," she muttered. "I'm your problem now, Wyatt Cain."

"Hey," Hark said brightly from a sparse few feet in front of them, "don't we got some royalty to rescue?"

Cain glared at the back of the man's head, as if he could set him on fire just by thinking it. DG tried not to laugh and straightened her face into a mask of seriousness.

"We're ready whenever you are," Jeb backed up his man, making a point to look down at his stolen Longcoat gun rather than his father.

"Just stick to the plan," Cain urged, taking DG by the wrist and urging her to follow him. "And if anything happens to Az, stick with her. Pull back to the safe-point here if you can, or hide out until we can get in contact. Understood?"

"Stick to the princess," Hark recited, standing straight again. "Priority number one."

"Damn straight," Cain grumbled back. His fingers tightened protectively on DG's wrist.

Of all the back ways into the city Cain was familiar with, there were two he had picked for least likely to have twenty guards posted. At the first, he saw that the entrance had been bricked up long ago, and his muffled curses were kept low. They inched along to the next, and he was glad to find it minimally protected. This, of course, didn't mean that they were off the hook. He knew that closed-circuit cameras were stationed at the main gate, as well as at least one other entrance. He swept his eyes around and found nothing, and nodded to Glitch. The advisor smiled. His step was proud and thorough as he emerged from his hiding place.

Two guards were immediately on their feet as he approached, hands on their guns. Glitch held up his hands in surrender, his face pulled back in fear. Cain chuckled silently—either Ambrose was a terrific actor, or he was genuinely terrified. The one thing he knew was that Glitch wasn't afraid, and that was what mattered.

It was over in a flash. Glitch had pounded fists and legs through the air as if he was gliding. He dusted off his hands as he stood over their prone bodies, smirking at a job well-done. Hark shook his head in amazement.

"That's one hell of an interesting fellow," he muttered. Jeb managed a laugh.

"You should see him dance," the young man responded as he moved to join the advisor. He swooped down to pick up the set of keys and ID card on one of the guard's hip. "These should come in handy."

"There isn't one marked 'Zero's Lair' is there?" Az asked as she pulled the scarf around the top of her head and over her mouth to cover her identity.

"Ah ha!" Glitch proclaimed. "You see that? She _is_ funny! Remember when I... And she..." Glitch shook his head with a pleased sigh, resting one hand on his hip. "Oh, I needed that."

Jeb swiped the ID card in the reader near the gate, and after a green light flashed, the lock clicked open. He gestured Glitch and Az in, followed by Hark, who still seemed amazed at Glitch's performance. DG was quick to pull a scarf on over her mouth and hair as her sister had done, smiling only once at the man beside her.

Cain and DG were locked together by their hands as they stepped past Jeb and into the city. Jeb's eyes followed them, blank and unreadable. He stooped down to relieve the other guard of his keys, as well as to smash their communicators, and closed the gate behind him. He locked it with the stolen keys, tossing the extra pair to his father, should they get separated.

The dark, steamy underbelly of back-alley Central City unfolded before them, and Cain could almost feel it welcoming him back.

* * *

AN: Hey again, folks! How goes? The usual for me. Boy, am I having fun with this fic! If the quality is going down, you srsly let me know and I'll do something about it. That fight scene was way fun for me. Esp. Glitch kicking some ass! I'm having much fun with Glitch, but if like Az or Jeb is OOC, you'd tell me, right? Can you tell I'm paranoid? XD Well, Central City is coming next, and since we really only got to see the entertainment and red-light districts, I'm looking forward to really getting into the heart of the city. What is their plan?! Where is Zero?! However will our heroes win?! Well, that's it for my AN on this chapter, besides to tell you all how much I appreciate your input and well-wishes. They're not going astray! I keep them all here in my heart! And, as always, I expect you all to STAY AWESOME! 


	10. Chapter 9: Red Light District

**Chapter Nine: Red Light District**

The first thing that DG really noticed was the smell. Her lip curled up at the stench of the back alley, of sweat and bodies huddled too close as they lay in the street to share body warmth. The buildings were high in this part of town, but they weren't the clean lines and crisp architecture that she had seen in the entertainment district. They were hovels, and that was being kind. There was steam everywhere, pouring form pipes jutting out of walls high above their heads to vent into the thick city air. It was dark, and the shadows increased as the suns moved down toward the horizon outside the city walls.

Few people looked up at them as they passed by. Firearms were a common sight, she assumed, for the homeless took one look at them, eyed the pretty scarf around Az's head, and returned to their nothingness. Someone had started a fire in one of the alleys branching off from theirs. She stepped further into Cain's side as one of the shabby men rose to his feet behind them.

"What are the odds he's set up back here?" Jeb asked, moving closer to his father as well.

"Slim to none," Cain replied out of the side of his mouth. "We're looking for someplace a little tidier than this. He's a meticulous guy."

"How do you know so much about Zero, anyway?" DG asked, threading her fingers tightly in his to keep herself cemented to his side. Cain squeezed back absently, taking a low breath.

"We were partners, a long while back," he muttered, shooting the stink eye at someone who had moved too close. "Not bosom buddies, but on good terms. I watched his back, and saved his ass more times than I can count."

"He was a Tin Man?" DG asked, shaking her head in disbelief. In her mind, from what she'd seen from Cain, Tin Men were the epitome of upstanding, law-abiding, selfless men. She couldn't associate Zero's face with the gleaming badge and the honor she'd come to associate with the man standing beside her.

"In the vaguest sense," Cain replied. "Soon as... the witch came into power, he was over on her side before I could blink. He asked me to come with him, you know."

DG shook her head again, and she pressed up against his side in order to avoid an inebriated fellow stumbling down the sidewalk right at her.

"He was crazy back then, too," Cain muttered, glaring hot death at the man who had bumped DG out of the way. "He went for whoever had the most power. For a while, it was me. Then it was the witch."

"You think he found someone else to latch onto?" DG asked, and a small spike of fear found its way into her heart.

"I don't know," he admitted. "We're gonna find out, though, aren't we?"

"We?" DG asked, smirking at last. "You finally over that idiotic self-sacrifice thing?"

"It's you and me, DG," he told her, lowering his voice.

"And Hark," she added quickly, her face definitely pink. "Hark's very important."

She hated the little smile that curled up on his lips. Something slow and perfect that sent a wave of something through her to her fingertips. "And Hark," he repeated.

Jeb made the warning signal by holding up one hand, and everyone grabbed someone and ducked into two different alleyways that split away from the main one they had been walking along. The coordinated marching of Longcoats reached their ears, and they made sure to hide themselves deeper in the shadows. Cain, DG and Glitch had ducked into one, and on the other side of the main alley, they could barely make out Hark, Jeb and Az tucked together in another branching street.

The line of guards stomped by, guns in hand and shooting menacing looks at the homeless lazing about. Cain's arm banded tightly around DG's waist and pressed her against the wall beside him, facing the deteriorating brick with only their backs showing to the world. Glitch followed suit.

"DG," Cain whispered in close quarters, his breath brushing by her ear, and she tried to suppress the sudden warmth that seemed to spread outward from her stomach. "You have to promise me something."

"What?" she asked, trying instead to focus on the sounds of the Longcoats passing by.

"You won't come after me if something goes wrong with the plan." Her head snapped up suddenly to stare straight up at him, all seriousness.

"Bull," she snorted irritably. "Wyatt Cain, you couldn't keep me away with a cattle prod."

"I'm serious," he countered.

"What makes you think I'm not?"

His lips pressed together in a fine line, and he had to swallow the words that came instantly to his throat. Glitch pretended to be interested in the fire escapes high above them on the side of the building. Cain flicked his eyes over his shoulder first to see if the coast was clear.

"I know," he said, turning reluctantly back to her, his eyes somewhere on the miniscule space between them. "I'd be saying the same thing if it was you in trouble. It'd make me feel better if you said it, though." His smile tried to reappear, but it failed twice. "Indulge me?"

"I promise," she said, trying to ignore the shiver it sent though her to say it, "that I won't come after you if something goes wrong. I'll run like a coward and leave you behind, with my tail tucked firmly between my legs." She paused a moment, before adding, barely under her breath, "Not."

"Hey," Glitch said, finally having an excuse to exist in their moment, "Longcoats are gone." As he stepped by the two of them, he planted a firm hand on Cain's shoulder and gripped hard. The stare that Cain was fixed with was pure Ambrose—cold and full of words that didn't need to be said. He released the man from his grip, peered around the corner of the building to be sure that the Longcoats had really gone, then flashed a thumbs-up across the way to Hark, who stood lookout.

"C'mon," Cain murmured, removing his arm from around her.

Something bubbled out of her before she could even attempt to stop it. "Wyatt—" Her voice was caught somewhere dangerous, and she was afraid of what would happen if she didn't let it out. Or worse, what would happen if she did.

He turned, facing her again, and his eyes were oddly subdued and light. She couldn't stand it. She choked her voice back down, shook her head and lowered her eyes to the ground while cursing at herself inwardly. His hand was cool on the side of her face, smoothing his thumb over her cheek only twice. Her cheeks were heated and red, and he felt like smooth glass in comparison.

"I know, DG," he muttered tightly.

Before she could flash him a look of confusion, he pulled her into a close, warm embrace. She buried her face in his shoulder, shutting her eyes to close off everything else that wasn't connected to him. This was a 'don't say anything' hug, something that said more with silence. She clung onto him, digging her fingers into his back, keeping him close, forbidding him to pull away. He didn't try to. He stroked her long hair carefully with one hand, and it took her a moment to realize that he was whispering something in her ear.

"You look up and I'm always gonna be there, DG. Every time. Don't forget that." He pulled away slightly to watch her eyes. They were wet and glossy with things that she couldn't say, her mouth hidden by the flimsy scarf, and she simply nodded.

He turned away to join the others, and she felt suddenly cold. She wrapped the coat more firmly around herself and followed in his wake.

The shoddy slums of the hidden back alleyways transformed slowly into downtown. There was no defining line, and the city blended together seamlessly from one debauchery to the next. It took Jeb only a moment to realize—with a red blush—that they had entered the red light district. It wasn't hard to notice, with the women of the night parading the corners and showing their best to potential customers. The establishments were low to the ground and only a step above dingy. Even with the Queen back in power, she couldn't clean out the dirt that had piled up over eight years of the witch's rule in such a short time.

"This is where we split up," Cain muttered. "Jeb, you stay with Az. You want your man or Glitch?"

"Hark should stick with you, I think," Jeb responded. "Just in case you meet Zero before we can meet back up."

"All right," Cain responded, sweeping his eyes around for any immediate threat. Upon finding none, he embraced his son in farewell. "Take care of them," he urged, nodding to Az and Glitch, who stood a pace away both sets of hands clasped together.

"I haven't let you down yet, have I?" Jeb asked, grinning boyishly. "And father?" Cain turned again at Jeb's prompt. "Good luck."

They took their leave, marking the corner on which they parted in their memories to rendezvous later. They would return in roughly an hour, with fifteen minutes leeway. If either party was not back by then, the second was to go on to find Zero without them. The thought made DG's stomach turn over.

The smell was different here, and DG mostly didn't want to think about it. The lights were orange and dim, hung high above the streets to throw heavy shadows over everything around them. Hark was averting his eyes from the surrounding woman in a gentlemanly fashion. His expression read confusion, as to why Cain would want to visit this part of the city at all. Surely Zero's base of operations was not in a bordello?

They passed another corner, following Cain's purposeful strides—he obviously knew where he was going. DG looked up as they moved by another low building to see a group of men standing outside, around one of the tall lights. One of them winked at her as she went by.

She leaned into the man next to him and whispered: "Wyatt, are you going to buy me a boy whore?"

Cain didn't respond, but even in the orange of the streetlights, she could see his ears go red.

"Here we go," he muttered after another moment. He motioned for Hark to follow him and took DG's hand in his own as he increased his stride. It was a two story building with thick shades pulled over all of the windows. Every light was on. By the door, there was a single lamp that burned a bright red. A solitary woman stood outside the door. This was obviously a popular establishment.

"Hey there, cowboy," the woman purred, flicking her green boa over her shoulder. "You and the little girl looking for something exciting?"

It was DG's turn to go red. Cain was a stone, ignoring the woman completely. As the two stepped into the open door, the woman also decided to hit on Hark, who blushed, flustered, and apologized before following Cain in.

The inside was smoky and red. Just as it had been on the outside, the only lighting in the entrance lobby was red. Two women stood behind the nearby desk, and a few others lay draped over several oddly-shaped sofas around the room. All eyes were on Cain when he entered, and several of the women fixed DG with envious stares. One's interest piqued on the younger girl, and she pressed into Cain's side for shelter.

"I'm looking for a regular," Cain rumbled, leaning one hand on the desk and speaking to the older of the women.

"We don't pass out client information," the elder woman said, checking something under her fingernails. "We have a special tonight, sugar," she said, flicking her eyes up to the Tin Man. He scowled in return.

"The fat bastard's been coming here for years. I just need to know if he's here tonight. I'm not gonna beat around the bush here."

One of the younger girls on the sofas uttered a high-pitched giggle and quickly threw a hand over her mouth at the odd look thrown her way by Hark.

Cain rolled his eyes and shot a dangerous look at the women behind the desk. "If you don't tell me where Antoine DeMilo is, I'm gonna have to go upstairs and kick in doors until I find him. I don't care who or _what_ I interrupt. And if I'm not making myself clear—" He pulled out his gun and laid in on the desk.

Three gasps and a tiny strangled cry came from the sofa girls. The younger of the women at the desk started at the sight of the weapon and was quick to meet Cain's eyes. "Room 20, second floor. He's with Desiree. Don't shoot anyone, mister, please."

"Wasn't planning on it," Cain responded, twirling the gun back into his holster. "Thank you kindly." He tipped the brim of his hat respectfully and turned away for the stairs.

"Sorry about him," DG muttered in apology before following him.

"Ma'am," Hark nodded, also tipping his hat. He took off up the stairs after them.

Cain had his gun out again once he reached Room 20, and was knocking on the wood with the butt of his revolver. DG slowly plugged her ears with both fingers to ignore the multitude of odd sounds emanating from the rooms around them. Hark, always seemingly stalwart, was very obviously blushing.

"Open the damn door, DeMilo!" Cain barked loudly, knocking again. "You'd better have pants on when I kick in this door!"

There was sudden shuffling from inside Room 20, and a grim smirk took Cain's lips. A feminine voice mingled with an all-too-familiar male's in the chaos inside the room. Cain checked the doorknob, rattled it threateningly, and examined how loose it was.

"You've got ten seconds, DeMilo," Cain growled. "And counting!"

It was a good fifteen seconds before the door flew open from the inside, and a frantic-looking, half-clothed young woman met them. She shoved past DG and went running down the hall, toward the stairs. Cain nonchalantly strolled into the dimly lit room.

"Wyatt Freakin' Cain," DeMilo's thin voice muttered. He had thankfully donned pants, as well as a half-buttoned shirt. He was still as ugly as ever. "Didn't they kill you? Twice?"

"Three times," Cain corrected, checking over his shoulder to be sure that DG and Hark were still with him. "That's six lives left. And I'm gonna spend every one of them keeping you in line, DeMilo."

"What right do you got bein' here?" DeMilo spat. "This is my money, and you ain't sporting tin."

"He's got me," DG threatened. DeMilo's eye took its time in finding her eyes, at which Cain bared his teeth and clapped the man over the head with the back of his hand.

"Ow! For the love of—" DeMilo rubbed his hand along his thinning scalp. "And who the hell are you, dollface?"

DG lowered the scarf covering her mouth only slightly, but with the blue eyes and the dark hair, it was immediately evident who she was. DeMilo's jaw waggled, and his eyes went from DG to Cain and back again. "Holy shit, Cain! You bagged yourself a princess!"

DG's proud face melted at the heat suddenly in her cheeks. Cain narrowed his eyes and cocked the gun against DeMilo's bare chest. "That's enough."

"I'm just sayin'!" DeMilo protested, eyes suddenly wide. "What d'you want, anyway? Or are you just wavin' your gun around in front of your royal girlfriend here?"

"Where's Zero?" Cain growled, pressing the barrel of the gun harder into DeMilo's flesh.

"What, still on about _him_?" the man uttered a nervous, unflattering laugh. Cain's eyes turned to slits, and DeMilo was suddenly in the talking mood. "Yeah, he's back in town. Thinks he's all high 'n mighty now that the bitch is off the throne."

"Watch it," DG spat dangerously, seething.

"Boy, she's fiery," DeMilo noted, raising his eyebrows appreciatively. This time, Hark joined Cain in the staring contest, and he, too retrieved his gun. "Okay, okay! I was just observin'!"

"Where's Zero?" Cain asked more forcefully. "I don't have time to waste killing you, DeMilo, but I _will_ do it if I have to."

"He's holed up in the old theater!" DeMilo squealed, wincing at the pain Cain's gun was causing against his chest. "The old opera house!"

"It's been shut down for years," Hark divulged. "A fire took out part of the balcony, and no one's been in since."

"Except your boy and his little army," DeMilo offered with a nervous swallow of spittle. "There. This is the second time I saved your ass. You stole my truck and now scared away my girl. What the hell did I ever do to you?"

Cain smirked, holstering his gun. "If you don't remember, all the better for me to hold over your head later, isn't it?"

"Wait," DG said before Cain could pass her up. "What if he rats us out?"

"Oh, I've got something that'll keep him occupied," Cain said mysteriously. "C'mon, let's get out of here."

Before the three of them left the bordello, Cain offered a handful of money to the woman they'd met outside the door, letting her know that it was from the generous gentleman in Room 20. She was up the stairs in a flash.

They waited at the appointed corner. The hour was up quickly, and soon, the fifteen minute window had also passed them by. DG wrung her hands nervously, looking up at the enormous lit clock face in the center of the square. If there hadn't been an obscuring cloud of steam and smoke hovering above, she imagined that the stars might be out. Hark checked his pocket watch several times to be sure. Cain watched his feet.

"We'd better go," he muttered after another long pause, not looking up.

"What about Az? And Jeb and Glitch?"

"They'd do the same if we didn't show," Cain retorted. "Jeb would've taken them back out to find Zero. If they've been found out..." His heart quailed at the possibility, but he continued. "They'd be taken to Zero, if something happened. And that's where we're headed."

DG bit at her lower lip and processed the thought. It made more sense than she'd hoped. "All right." Her spine was straight and her eyes full of fire as she looked up at the Tin Man. "I'm ready."

"You'd better be," Hark muttered. "There's only one chance of getting this right. I hope you two are a pair of damn fine actors."

"Likewise," Cain grumbled in reply.

They were careful to remain in the shadows while they took the main street straight up into the entertainment district. They were lucky. Most of the population seemed to be inside, through fear of the sudden reappearance of the Longcoats, it was assumed. This made the baddies easier to spot and avoid. Cain led the way, DG following, and Hark at the rear guard, his mustache bristled in seriousness. Soon, the street opened up to the theater district, and DG's mouth dropped open in despair.

Longcoats were everywhere. They didn't clump around a particular establishment, to keep the location of their base as hidden as possible. They patrolled in pairs up and down the street, near the doors of the theaters and the lip of every alleyway. Zero's forces were greater than even Cain had imagined or feared. It was as if every single Longcoat who had refused to turn over after the witch's death had been sprung from prison simultaneously, and fell under Zero's command. It was not a reassuring sight.

"You sure they won't shoot us on sight?" DG asked in a tiny voice. Cain reached down and grasped her hand comfortingly in his.

"He wants us alive so he can kill us himself," Cain reassured her. "I know him. He's a bastard, but he's also an egotist and a little cracked."

With his other hand, he removed his revolver and handed it to Hark. "Looks like it's showtime," the man with the mustache said plainly.

DG shook slightly, and Cain took her hand from his side to press it firmly against his lips. "I'm right here," he muttered against her skin.

She nodded at last, swallowing her fear at the feeling of warmth he sent through her hand, up her arm and into her chest. "I'm ready," she whispered.

Hark lowered his brow. "In case something happens, it's been a pleasure serving you, Princess."

"Thank you, Hark." Her voice was infinitesimal.

Two Longcoat guards near the entrance to the side street saw them first. A young woman and an older man in a hat, followed by an even older man with a gun in each hand. The girl was crying.

"I said get on your knees!" The man with the mustache cried. Both the girl and the man did as commanded, a pistol pointed at each head. The Longcoats quickly rushed to the man's side.

"What's going on here?" The tallest Longcoat asked, hand on his own gun should he need it.

"I got a delivery," Hark growled, glaring down at his capture. "I'm to hand them straight to Zero. I found him his princess, and her little dog too."

* * *

AN: Ah! Suspense! Well, at least you know the plan now. I guess... And so sorry about that last line, but it's 3 AM and I'm a little cracked. WOO!! Hmm, this seemed longer when I was writing it. Anyway, hope I didn't disappoint here. And writing bordello scenes is a lot more fun than you'd think. Maybe. As I've said, it's 3 AM and I couldn't stop writing and I think I'm gonna collapse soon. But it's all good! Not a lot of Glitch here, sorry, but he'll be back! I promise! Oh, and you have noooooooo idea how much fun I had with the CDG in this chapter. Awesome sauce to the max. I think I'm a little loopy from the not sleep I'm having. Anyway, hope you like, because this is just getting funner with each chapter. Goodnight, and I hope that everyone remembers to STAY AWESOME!! (even tho it's late) 


	11. Chapter 10: Adrian Zero

**Chapter Ten: Adrian Zero**

DG and Cain were bound with their hands behind their backs. Hark held both his gun and Cain's, both pointed at either prisoner. He was flanked by two Longcoats on either side. A knot had tied itself in DG's stomach, and there seemed little chance of getting out now. Especially as they were led straight into the old opera house.

One of the doors hung lazily ajar, swinging in the light downtown breeze. It was large, made of bronze, and the creak of its hinges stuck somewhere in DG's nerves and filled her with static electricity. She discovered quickly that it was fear. The lobby was dark, and the only light shone in through the doors to the seats. DG flicked her glance over to the stairs on either side of the lobby that wound up toward the ruined balcony. Several Longcoats waited in the darkness, and their eyes followed them as they passed by.

They took the center door into the main room of the opera house, and all at once, the walls flew out around them. It was simply cavernous, and decorated completely in red. Red carpets under their feet, plush red seats with brass backs and armrests, red sashes hanging from the ceiling--she noticed the burn marks still evident on many of the hanging curtains. High above, the crystal chandelier hung at an odd angle, one of its support chains either damaged or completely missing. It, too, had an absent swing to its movement, and the tiny sound of tinkling crystal filled the otherwise empty space. The rows were lit, and dim yellow light spilled out across the aisles at their ankles. The ceiling disappeared into darkness high above them, and she could only barely make out high buttresses meant to catch and reflect sound. It echoed their lonely footsteps like they were walking into a marble tomb. DG shuddered at the unwanted memory.

The stage lay before them, and it was lit from both the orchestra pit and the catwalk above. Dust drifted lazily in the beams of hot yellow light. The huge, heavy act curtain was also red, and the leftmost corner sported big, black holes where the fire had eaten at it. The stage was a beautiful, light hardwood, and while the polish had faded away, it still gleamed in the stage lights. A few misused and abused backdrops hung idly from their supports, and a box of props lay almost offstage to the right of center. As they approached, DG could hear even more footsteps, and she could already tell to whom they belonged.

He passed between shadow and light as he paced on stage, and his drawn face was alternately in darkness and lit harshly from underneath. He went from demon to ghoul and back again, in and out of the stage lights. Guards stood on either side of the stage, near the steps, and looked generally fierce. As the newcomers approached, Zero looked up sharply from his pacing and stopped immediately.

"What's this?" Zero asked, and, having stopped in the light, DG finally got a good look at him. He was pale and cold, all the blood having gone from the surface of his skin to dwell somewhere warmer. He wore gloves on his hands, and his long black coat looked ratty and torn. He'd pinned a red insignia over his chest, and DG wasn't sure she wanted to know what it meant.

"Delivery for you, sir," one of the Longcoats replied. He elbowed Hark harshly, and the man was quickly back into his role.

"Just a citizen doing his job, sir," Hark proclaimed loudly. "Knew you were looking for the princesses and their so-called protectors. Traitors and conspirators, more like!"

Zero paused, taking in Hark's words with wide, suspicious eyes and an otherwise unreadable face. At last, his lips pressed firmly together, and he waved aside one of the guards on stage. He stepped to one side and Zero jerked his thumb up over his shoulder.

"Let's see if we've got a liar," he said loudly, turning away with his hands clasped behind his back to continue pacing. The Longcoats urged Hark to get his prisoners up on the stage. DG took a deep breath and moved forward at Hark's rough command. She had to hand it to the man. He was a terrific actor.

Cain and DG stood side by side on stage, nearly shoulder to shoulder, facing Zero's back. She could see Zero cracking the knuckles in his fingers one by one as he refused to turn. He muttered something to himself, too low for DG to pick up. Then, with a quick breath of air through his nose, Zero whirled around to face them. At the look in his eyes, DG involuntarily backed into Hark's gun. Somehow, the cold metal of the gun barrel was far more comforting than the man slowly walking toward them.

Jeb was right. He was different. There was something thin and sunken about him, the way his cheekbones stuck out from his face and his eyes seemed further back in his head. His hair was still parted straight as a bone, sitting immaculately atop his head. But it was his eyes that scared her. Oh yes, he scared her. He scared her more than Azkadellia's witch had on top of that balcony. The witch was evil, yes. But Zero was crazy, and cruel, and very, very human. His smile was sharp and crooked as he came to a halt only a foot in front of her, staring her down, narrowing his eyes. His pupils were small even in the dim lighting.

"Hello there, Princess," Zero purred in a devious way. Beside her, Cain went straight and rigid in indignation, and his lips pulled back in a growl.

Zero backed away from DG to stare down his nose at the Tin Man. "Well, well. Cain. We really must stop meeting like this."

"Untie me and I'll see that you meet your maker, Zero," Cain spat. Something about his eyes was dark and intense.

Zero chuckled, and as he caught himself to take a breath, his laugh choked in his throat and erupted into a quick fit of hysterical laughter. Before he was through, his hand balled into a fist and lashed out quick and hard against Cain's jaw. DG's breath gasped through her, and Cain was thrown to the ground. DG nearly followed him, but she was thankfully restrained by Hark.

Zero cracked his knuckles, still suffering from the giggles that welled in his chest. His face quickly contorted into a mask of hate, and his boot lashed out to kick Cain straight in the ribs.

"DON'T SCREW WITH ME, CAIN!" Zero shouted, a vein standing out in his neck.

"Stop it!" DG demanded, trying to tear herself from Hark.

Zero's head swiveled slowly to take DG in, eyes narrowed and smile gone.

"What was that, Princess?" Zero asked, tilting his head into her almost comically.

"DG," Cain growled as he tried to pick himself up from the ground, only to be restrained by a Longcoat pressing a boot into his chest. "Don't."

DG's chest tightened as Zero loomed into her, his squinty eyes mere inches from hers. His breath was hot and bitter on her face, and she screwed her eyes shut to will him away.

"No, I'm curious," Zero barked into her face. "_What_ did you say, Your Highness?"

"What did you do with my parents?" DG asked, her eyes still shut tightly.

"Hmm," Zero murmured, taking his time to draw it out. "You smell terrific," he said, and she went cold and dead inside when she felt rough fingers outline the shape of her lips.

"Keep your hands _off_ of her!" Cain shouted, and suddenly, his foot lashed out to trip the man keeping him on the ground. He struggled to get to his feet, but two more surrounded him and dragged him up and made ready to deal out fierce punishment.

"Hold on," Zero commanded, and DG shuddered at the relief that he'd pulled away from her. She dared to open her eyes. Hark's hands still held her under her arms in a way that was strangely comforting in the situation. Zero stood in the space between her and Cain, his back to her to stare down at the restrained Tin Man.

She'd seen that look only once in Cain's eyes. He'd fixed Zero with the same heated death-glare eight years ago. It made her heart want to beat a thousand times a minute, and at the same time stop dead in her chest.

Zero crossed his arms to observe Cain with a crooked smile on his lips. "Do you have any idea how long I've wanted to kill you? Not quickly, either. I'm thinking I'd like to see you bleed to death. Die gasping in a pool of your own blood. Maybe a punctured lung. Or drowning." A sadistic little twitch took one edge of his lips, and he was quick to subdue it.

Cain chose not to respond. He knew better than to look toward DG. That'd only give Zero another reason to go after her again. He needed Zero's attention on him if he was going to get what he wanted.

"You don't want to kill me," Cain rumbled back.

"I'm pretty sure that I do," Zero countered, pulling his gun out nonchalantly.

"What do you _really_ want, Zero?" Cain asked, narrowing his eyes as if to stare into the man he used to know. Zero faltered slightly for only a moment.

"The princesses. You and your little bastard son." A self-satisfactory look settled in behind his eyes. "I figure half isn't so bad for now. The other two are bound to be running around somewhere." He fixed his gaze on one of the empty-handed Longcoat guards. "Send out word to keep an extra sharp eye out for a princess and her lapdog. I'd like them alive enough to kill."

"Yes, sir," the guard responded, and he took off down the stairs and out to the lobby.

Zero closed his eyes and a slow smile broke over his face, as if he were listening to some unseen opera in the long-dead place, sung by voices no one else could hear. A pleased little sigh escaped through his nose, and he turned again to face DG.

"You want to see your parents, little girl?" he asked, suddenly calm and collected.

She glared him back down, tensing for any sort of attack. She swallowed the idea of even glancing at Cain. "What's the catch?"

"No catch," Zero assured her, smiling innocuously. "I'm sure they miss you." His finger curled up under her chin and turned her gently to face him. Something inside of her recoiled in disgust, but for fear of violent retaliation, she didn't jerk away. "I'm not going to kill you yet, Princess," he muttered, and his voice on her made her skin crawl.

He stepped away, and his hands were behind his back again. One held his short pistol. "Lock them up. Don't put them in the same cell," he turned to smirk cruelly in Cain's direction, "but don't keep them too far apart. Let them see Mom and Dad, while they're down there."

Longcoats took hold of both Cain and DG, jerking them around until they complied. Hark turned to follow them, his hands shaking slightly after DG had been taken from him.

"Oh!" Zero cried, vaulting one finger high into the air. "I almost forgot to say thank you." He turned on Hark, smiling innocently. The gun twirled out to his side, and a single bullet collided with Hark's shoulder. The man gave a strangled gasp and fell backward with the velocity of the shot. DG screamed, and her knees suddenly gave out on her as she fell into her captors' hands. Cain's stone face was ashen. Hark lay still on the ground, breath barely elevating his chest.

DG protested all the way up the aisle away from the stage. Zero walked up to Hark's side, staring down as a boy might look at the bird he'd broken the wing of. The gun rose again, and two more shots went off. Hark ceased all movement. Zero sighed, holding his face to stare up at the ceiling with closed eyes. He cradled his gun against his forehead and muttered something they couldn't hear.

They were forced into the back of a small black truck for transport. Cain and DG sat across from each other, a Longcoat on each side. He watched her silently as she sat the entire ride with her eyes closed. Tears slid down her cheeks and dropped off into nothingness. She didn't make a sound.

Cain knew the prison all too well. It wasn't far from Zero's base of operations, and he supposed that was the way Zero liked it. It was wide and flat, and there were three levels to the building: top floor, ground level and the basement. The sub level was where the more dangerous criminals were kept, and Cain just knew that was where Zero planned on stowing them. Neither struggled as the brigade of Longcoats forced them inside.

The steps were cold and made of metal slats like a catwalk. Cain was sure to take in all of his surroundings as they passed into the dark basement level. The cells were mostly empty, and the few prisoners were sullen and full of darkness. They didn't even look up to see who had joined them in their solitude. Save one.

"Princess DG!" a familiar voice cried. She only had a chance to glance over her shoulder to catch sight of flowing red hair and the worried eyes of Emma Bradley. DG's heart quailed even further. They rounded a corner, and the vision was gone.

"Have we got a surprise for you," DG's Longcoat said as he shoved a key into the door at the end of the hallway. His voice was anything but kind. The door opened, and a small room of individual cells lay before them. The first sight that met them was a pair of sad lavender eyes.

"DG!" It was her father's voice. She tried to keep her eyes from misting up.

"Hi," she said back weakly. Queen Lavender suddenly broke into choking tears.

"Oh, my DG," she cried softly. "Not you."

The guards shoved DG and Cain into the room. It was small and lined with several cells. Lavender and Ahamo were separated from one another by a wall of bars, with only enough room to slip hands between. They sat on opposite sides of the bars, hands clutched across the space that separated them. Their guards untied their hands but held guns to their backs to assure their compliance. DG was forced into a cell across the room from her mother, and locked in tightly. Cain was taken to the one beside her, and he stumbled to the ground at the force of the guard's suggestion.

The guards were gone in an instant, and the heavy door they had entered through was shut back behind them, and the lock echoed in their ears. There were no windows, and the only light came from a small lantern hung on the wall near the door. Both of the new prisoners sat on the floor of their cells, facing the royal couple across from them, also sitting.

"Az?" Ahamo's voice asked into the near-darkness. His voice was thin, reedy with worry.

Cain shook his head. "She's with Jeb and Glitch. I don't know where they are, but if they're smart they got out of the city."

"How did this happen?" The Queen asked, her sorrow evident in her voice.

"The plan... kinda fell apart," DG muttered, sitting on the floor beside the wall her cell shared with Cain's.

"We had a man who might've been able to get in and get us out," Cain mused, "but Zero made damn sure he's dead." There was something hollow in his voice. Hark had gotten in the way several times, but there was something he'd liked about that man.

Unexpectedly, DG took a staccato breath and felt new, hot tears forming in her eyes. She was quick to wipe them away, but it was no use.

"DG?" Cain's voice was soft, and close, and so comforting.

His hand maneuvered between the bars as far into her cell as it could go. It first found her thigh above her knee, and then the hand that she had resting there. She shut her eyes again, and together, they moved to sit even closer to the bars than they had been.

"Zero didn't have to shoot him again," DG said quickly, her voice already watery. "He was already dead. He didn't have to shoot him again."

"Hey," Cain said in a firm voice. His fingers tightened on hers. "So the plan's a bust. That's not your fault. We're gonna think of something, you got my word on that."

"Zero's crazy," she muttered, trying to get around the lump in her throat.

"You're not wrong," Cain replied, and for a moment, he lapsed into uncharacteristic silence. "You're even more wrong if you think I'm gonna let him touch you again."

Eyes met through steel bars, quiet and contemplative. She blinked the last tears away, sniffled through a long breath, and leaned her head sadly sideways onto the bars separating them.

"What are we gonna do, Wyatt?" she asked. She could hear him breathing, and it was more comforting than she could have hoped.

"You should get caught up with your parents," he told her, his thumb brushing over her knuckles. "I'll be right here, and I'll be thinking."

She was slow to nod, and, as if she didn't want to break the connection, she retreated from his side and let their hands slip apart. He remained seated, his eyes trailing after her as she stood and moved to the locked door of the cell. Her parents followed in suit and moved as close to the girl as they could, pressed up against their own doors.

"Did he hurt you?" DG asked firstly. It was the most important.

Ahamo nearly smiled. "Knocked me around a bit. He was exceptionally polite to your mother, though. I couldn't ask for more than that."

DG just noticed the angry bruise that had yellowed near his temple, and his split lip and swollen eye. "Oh, Dad," she choked.

"I'm fine, sweetheart," he told her in a strong voice. "For how long is another question."

"Hold it," DG urged, her voice suddenly thin. "C'mon, guys, were in our own cell block and they left us alone. Don't you think it's a little obvious?"

"Spying on us?" The Queen asked, straightening her spine and glaring about. "I hope he's heard all the words I've had for him of late."

Ahamo chuckled. "You would not believe the words coming out of your mother's mouth."

"Enough of him," the Queen said. Her eyes softened. "Did he harm you, DG?"

"No," she answered. "But Wyatt--"

"I'm fine," he muttered, having moved to sit on the bare bunk in the back of the cell.

"He killed one of Jeb's men," DG said, and her eyes fell again. "We were supposed to get in to find you, and then Hark would let us loose and we'd get rid of the guards. It wouldn't have been too hard, but..."

"He didn't know," Cain assured her from the back of his cell. "He's just sick in the head."

DG pressed her forehead into the cold of the bars before her and closed her eyes. "Az, I hope you got yourself out."

"She's a smart girl," Ahamo said plainly, lovingly. "She'll do what's right, whatever she feels that is."

"She's got Glitch to take care of her," Cain reminded her. "And I know Jeb wouldn't let her do anything too reckless."

DG managed a low smile. The image of Jeb and Glitch holding Az forcibly back from charging into the opera house played behind her eyelids. Then, for the first time in a long time, keeping her eyes closed felt like the most inviting sensation in the world. The tiring duck and weave through the Central City streets and the exhausting encounter with Adrian Zero had left her more drained than she knew. Not to mention the death of a friend, and so cruelly undeserved. She sank slowly to the ground, curled herself into a ball and sat tucked in the corner between her cell and Cain's, her back to her parents.

"It's been a long day," she heard Cain's voice form an excuse. If her parents responded, she didn't hear them, and the world slowly drained out around her.

When her eyes fluttered open, the room was completely dark. She shifted to look around, straining her eyes in attempts to see anything through the ink of night. The lantern had either burned out or been turned off when she had been asleep. Once her eyes made the slow adjustment to the darkness, she began to make out shapes in the room around her. The thick steel bars were first, and then a lump of something leaned up on the other side of the bars from where her head had been resting. The hat was the first recognizable shape.

His breath was low and deep, from far inside his chest, and from so close, it filled her ears. His shoulder was pressed up to be in line with hers, and she could feel the warmth coming off of him despite the bars that separated them. Calmly, she leaned back down against the bars until she felt his shoulder brush up against hers. His next breath was longer and deeper, and he shifted slightly to face her even further. The hat pressed up against the bars and tipped backwards off of his head. She smiled despite the situation.

The bars were far too close together for her liking, but she leaned her head as close to his as she could manage, and her dark hair brushed his forehead. His breathing pattern shifted slightly, and had she been able to see better in the darkness, she could have seen his eyes pull slowly open.

"DG?" he whispered in a voice that was still half asleep.

"I'm sorry," she whispered back at once. "I didn't mean to wake you up."

"It's fine," he responded. He tried to find her face in the darkness, but even in their closeness, it was impossible to see her eyes. "What's wrong?" He paused for a moment, and she was surprised to hear a dry, joyless little laugh. "Not that I should have to ask."

"I hate not knowing what to do," she muttered back.

He took his time in answering, and DG wondered if he'd forgotten and fallen back asleep. "We'll figure something out," he said at last. "I've been in worse situations."

"Like what?" she asked with an unseen roll of her eyes.

"Well, I was locked in a tin suit, for one," he answered back, and she could practically see the sardonic little smirk on his lips.

"Yeah, and if it weren't for me, your ass would still be locked up," she responded.

He either sighed or laughed, and she wasn't sure which one she preferred. "That's true." He allowed the silence to creep in again, and after an adequate pause, he lowered his voice. "You'll think of something."

"You're the man with the plan," she countered.

"You're the hotheaded princess who's gotten me out of more scrapes than I'd like to mention," he rebutted.

She smiled, slowly and softly, and she wished that he could've seen it. After only a moment, she realized that his fingers had found hers in the dark and locked together as one.

"Wyatt," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yeah?" He was very close. The way she wanted him.

"Do you want to kiss me?"

She couldn't believe she'd said it. It horrified and mortified her, and she probably would have done anything to take it back. Unfortunately, something seemed stuck in her throat to keep her from saying anything else and further embarrassing herself. And his silence wasn't helping anything. He didn't move, didn't say a thing, and she wished against wishes that she could see his face, just so she could gauge his reaction.

Her breath went still in her throat when she felt his fingertips graze across her cheek. All of the blood was quickly in her head, and she was quite sure that she was red from her eyebrows to her collarbone. He was comparatively cold as his hand cupped the side of her face only just, barely touching her. His thumb traced a path across her lower lip then back again. His touch was so different from Zero's--it sent a very different chill through her, and she found herself leaning into his hand.

She was lightheaded as she leaned her forehead clean up against the bars between them. His fingers wrapped ever so slightly around the back of her head, just where it met her neck, and she felt his forehead against hers, warm and very, very close. She also had time to realize that this was the very closest that they could be. The bars were thick and close together, and she could barely feel his forehead on hers. A very low ache came into her heart, and she tried to ignore the prickling that came to her eyes.

Her hand slipped through the bars and first came into contact with his shoulder. She traced her way up to his neck and through the fine hair at the back of his head. When he sighed, she felt his breath warm on her face and neck and she wished to God that the bars would somehow miraculously disappear.

"DG," he murmured, hardly there but spoken right up against her skin. She ached all over again and gently shook her head.

"Oh, God, please don't say anything."

She could feel his eyes raking hers for answers. Her heart thudded in her ears and it was all she could do to keep her breath steady. She slid her other arm through the bars and around his neck to join her other, and her arms were barely long enough. And, as per her request, he said nothing. He followed the line of her face slowly with one of his fingers and remained silent.

"I shouldn't have said it," she muttered, closing her eyes despite herself at the way he touched her face. Damn the steel bars! When she was queen, all steel bars would be outlawed! "I meant it though."

More silence. Tension welled in her chest, like she was slowly being knotted up from the inside, starting at her heart. It wound up through her throat and down to her toes, and she wished that something would happen, just to make the knots disappear.

"Say something," she choked at last.

Against all odds, he laughed. It was soft and low and perfect. "You just told me not to."

"I can't make up my mind," she admitted.

"Yeah, well," he trailed off for a moment. His fingertips were calloused but tender across her cheek and through her bangs. "I think I made up mine."

She swallowed away the butterflies that had taken up residence in her stomach and a slow, tentative smile took hold of her face. As if he knew without seeing, he whispered, "That's my girl."

The door to their block burst open with a loud metallic bang. DG and Cain jumped at the interruption, and her hand locked onto his. Light flooded into the room from the outside, and both Ahamo and the Queen were jolted awake from the noise.

"Zero would like a sit-down with the princess," one of the silhouettes said with a sneer behind his voice. Cain's grip tightened on DG's hand. "It's not a request."

"No," DG was quick to refuse. The Longcoat approached, and Ahamo protested in a loud voice. Cain never let go of her hand. The key turned in the lock and the Longcoat stepped in to retrieve her. He grabbed her roughly by the wrist and jerked her toward him. She held tightly to Cain's hand and he gripped back. All too easily, she was wrenched from him with one more yank.

"DG!" Cain shouted, shooting to his feet and rattling the bars uselessly.

"NO!" she cried, struggling as the Longcoat grabbed her other wrist as well, dragging her from the cell. "Wyatt!!"

"DG!!" He could do nothing but shake the bars of his cell and watch. He kicked the door in frustration and clenched his fists tightly, uselessly, at his side.

She was dragged fully out of the door, with only one glance behind her. In the light from the outside, she was given one last glimpse of Wyatt Cain's face. His eyes were full of pain and fear as they watched her disappear.

After the door was shut and locked behind her, she heard a terrible, drawn-out growl of frustration from the man she'd left behind.

* * *

AN: Wow. This is the longest chapter yet. Uhh, consider that your Christmas/whathaveyou present from me!! Man oh man, I had a freakin awesome time writing this chapter. Especially Zero. omg, I loooved writing Zero here. Just... creepy and crazy and so much fun. I can't wait to write more of him! Oh, and the CDG. I loves it. Poor kids, can't even get a kiss in. DAMN THE STEEL BARS!! It hurt me a little to kill Hark, but it had to be done. Oh, and it must be said that I'll be away for the holidays, so I may not get another chapter up before the new year. Who knows, though? I may have plenty of time. I'm just giving a warning. Tell me what you think of Zero, as well as if I've completely messed up the CDG with this bit. Thanks for sticking with me, I love love LOVE all of you!! STAY AWESOME AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!! 


	12. Chapter 11: The Princess with the Plan

**Chapter Eleven: The Princess with the Plan**

They'd opened an interrogation room just for her. She wondered if Zero considered it a compliment that he could meet her one on one, or if he was simply being condescending. It could also be neither, from the schizophrenic display he'd conjured for them hours earlier. DG also realized that her concept of time had disappeared, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't find a window to look for the suns.

She wasn't led past the cell holding Emma Bradley, but as much as she had wanted to tell the girl that Jeb was very likely safe, she knew it would have been impossible to have a competent conversation with the girl. Her escorting Longcoats solidified her hypothesis by jerking here and there and digging fingers into her wrists. She was sure she'd bruise, but she took her mind away from the feel of their grip, blocked them out as best she could. She'd need all of her wits and strength if she was going to face off with Zero. She wasn't Cain, but she'd plan as as the opportunities came to her.

The room branched off from the main cell block on the ground floor, where all of the walls were blindingly white. They opened the door, shoved the girl in, and stood in the doorway menacingly.

DG stumbled slightly, righted herself, and looked quickly around the room. It wasn't too different from the rooms she'd seen on countless crime dramas back home on the Other Side. It had the two-way mirror--or, she assumed it was two-way--and the single table with nothing on it. The one difference was that it wasn't a cop waiting for her in the corner. No, she'd look forward to a cop at this point, especially if it had been a certain Tin Man. It was Zero who stood in the room with her.

He faced away from her, staring hard into the two-way mirror at himself, his eyes red and strained. He obviously hadn't slept. With a dismissive wave of his hand in the direction of the door, her two guards disappeared and closed the door on their way out. DG edged slowly to it, but as her fingers touched the latch, Zero's voice caught her by surprise.

"You'll find it locked," he told her in a low growl of a voice. It was quieter than the way he'd spoken to her in the opera house. It was almost as if he was back, like he'd found his mind in the time between.

"Figures," she muttered back. She withdrew her fingers and balled them at her side, should she need them.

He turned to her, and his lips twitched into a disarming smile. It was suddenly obvious that he was still as crazy as they'd left him. "I have the key on me. If you feel lucky, you can go for it."

DG held back the desire to sneer and tell him 'As if!' if only to keep from sounding more childish than she already felt, trapped in the room with him. He stood on the opposite side of the table as her, but she could still feel the terrible aura of him pushing at her. She didn't say anything, just locked her jaw shut and kept her fists at waist level.

He clutched his hands behind his back and bounced on the balls of his feet, looking like a boy about to open a rather enticing present. As he began to circle the table at a leisurely pace, his eyes slid up and down her figure as slowly as possible. She circled in the opposite direction, to keep the same amount of space between at all times. A delighted, malign grin stole across his thin face as his eyes lingered on the exposed curve of skin just below her neck.

"Are you a virgin?" He asked in a calm voice.

DG tried to control the indignant redness in her face. "That's none of your business," she bit back, and at the same time, she pulled the coat in tighter around her.

Zero's nostrils flared as he took in the scent she'd left behind. "I don't see any fun in it if I can't break you," he responded in the same flat voice.

Something caught in the back of her throat, and she suddenly felt the need to be violently ill. Not good, definitely _not_ good. She reminded herself to breathe, and she finally found her voice around the heat in her throat.

"I'm not..." She trailed off miserably, because her voice sounded so small, so unlike her, that she was sure someone else had said it.

Zero laughed, and it was cold. "I'm inclined to think you're lying, Princess." The nickname used by someone else's voice was bitter and hit her like a slap to the face.

"I don't lie," she spat back, pulling courage out of some unused pocket and baring in on her face. "What's more disappointing, not finding out, or realizing too late that I took all the fun out of it?" She narrowed her eyes threateningly at him, and his smile fell a degree.

"You're lucky, little girl," he muttered back. "I prefer redheads."

Something even worse fell into the pit of her stomach and died. Emma. He saw the way her face changed at his words, and the cruel look returned behind his eyes. "She's Cain's boy's girl, isn't she?" He leaned forward, his hands pressed flat on the table, staring her down. "She cried for him the whole time, Princess. You can ask her yourself."

"Bastard!" DG shouted, and she didn't regret it. Her voice bounced around the small room, and for only a moment, he looked taken aback. She stared him down, breath hot and hurt in her chest, anger written across her brow.

"Simmer, Princess," Zero said quietly, drawing his hand across his bangs to straighten them out. "I didn't kill her. You should be thankful."

"Glad to disappoint you," she spat back. She glared him down, the residual bravery still pulsing through her.

Then, Zero glared right back. He stared hot, dangerous holes through her. "What do you think, Princess? Think you'd cry for Cain?"

She tried to remain steady, and her fingernails dug painful half-circles in the heel of her hand.

"You know why?" Zero growled, and she realized suddenly that he was right up next to her. She was frozen in shock. His face was barely an inch from hers, his nose nearly grazing her cheek. "There's no way I'd rather see him die. It would be the second time I've taken the only thing he ever loved."

DG didn't look at him, and she bit her lip to keep it from quivering.

"You're a smart girl," he purred, curling a finger under her chin. "So why so candid when you knew I was listening?"

"What do you want?" DG asked, swallowing the cold fear that bubbled up through her throat.

"With the Queen in my pocket, I might as well be running the O.Z. from here." He twirled a piece of hair around his finger and rubbed it against his cheek with eyes closed. "You and your noble little lover boy are standing in my way."

She knocked his hand away and took one step backward. "Don't touch me," she demanded.

He caught her wrist as it flew by his face. He inspected it interestedly, turning her hand over to look at her palm. She tried to jerk away, but his grip was firm.

"You look so easy to break," he murmured, looking only at her hand. "One by one, all your little fingers, just like dry twigs in winter."

When her eyes went wide, so did his eerie smile. Just then, his hand released her wrist to backhand her across the face. The shock of it sent her stumbling across the room, and her shoulder hit the wall with a dull thud. Both of her hands flew up to cover her face and her eyes screwed shut in the stinging pain.

"Where's Azkadellia?!" Zero shouted, suddenly standing over her.

"I don't know!" DG cried back, and she slid down the wall into a fetal position.

"I said you're easy to break, little girl," Zero barked as he grabbed her wrist again and yanked at her hard, until she was on her feet. "You want me to show you just how easy it is to break a wrist? Or maybe your arm at the elbow?" He laughed, and something in his voice cracked, making him sound like an adolescent boy who had found his father's gun. "Oh, that'd get Cain riled up. A broken little doll in place of his pretty princess."

DG gasped as she felt him apply pressure to her wrist, and she did the only thing that made any sense. All of the coaching from her robotic parents flared up somewhere in her brain, and her foot lashed out between the man's legs. His eyes, red and far too close, squinted through the sudden pain, and his grip on her was quickly released. He fell gasping to his knees beside her, and as he did, she scrambled to her feet and kicked him hard, square in the chest.

The door burst open, and the two Longcoat guards were suddenly in the doorway again. DG holed herself up in a corner, her fists up at her face and her heart pumping adrenaline through her.

"Don't touch her," Zero shot, gradually picking himself up from the ground. He limped at the pain between his legs, and his face held the permanent expression of one who had shoved a whole lemon into his mouth. The Longcoats looked torn between following orders and taking down the princess, but they thankfully stayed just outside the room.

"Don't you dare," DG growled, glaring heatedly in his direction now that the other guards weren't a threat.

"You've got an attitude," Zero hissed. "I'm going to snuff your spark right out." His gun whipped out from his hip, and he'd cocked it at her within the blink of an eye. DG's heart stopped for the fraction of a moment.

"Wait," DG urged suddenly, her fists dropped and palms flat against the wall behind her. "What's the use if you kill me now? You don't know where Az is, and Jeb Cain is still out there. He took you down once, he could do it again." She couldn't believe how fast she had gotten the words out.

"You know where Azkadellia is?" Zero asked, his gun still pointed at her, but one of his eyes twitched to signify recognition. He wanted information. He wanted suffering. He didn't wish a quick death on anyone.

"Of course," she lied. "I just didn't have a gun to me before."

Zero's smirk tweaked up, showing half of his teeth. "Quite the persuader. Now talk."

"I'd have to use my magic to track her down," DG continued, pulling ideas out of thin air as she went. It worked in the movies, why wouldn't the fib work for her?

"Your lips are moving, and I don't see any magic, Princess," Zero coughed, still wincing at the throbs of pain she'd caused him.

"You've got to be kidding me," she scoffed. "There's no way I could perform the spell here, in these conditions. I need to be in a relaxed state of mind, somewhere more comfortable than this."

Zero lowered his pistol only slightly. "Don't push me."

"Give me a few more hours," she said plainly. "Back in my cell. With my family in around me, I'll have no trouble preparing the spell. And you'll be listening in, so there'll be no funny business."

Zero's gun was dormant at his side in only another moment. "Yeah," he murmured, his eyes somewhere far off and foggy. He shook it off quickly, and he was terrifyingly lucid. "You have three hours to get that spell ready, and I'll have my ears perked up. And I think I'll double your guard."

"That sounds reasonable," she forced.

"You," Zero called, waving a Longcoat over with his gun. "Take her back down. Lock her up tight. Make sure she's got plenty of light, and leave her alone. I hear one little cough, I'll be down on you like death. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," the Longcoat replied, looking awfully frightened himself. He grabbed DG up, clamping one hand hard where her shoulder met her neck. She winced and nearly doubled up at the sudden pain.

Zero suddenly did the same to her captor, and squeezed hard at the pressure point. The Longcoat cried out and released his grip on DG. "Don't rough her up," Zero spat. "I need her calm and collected for this."

"Yes, sir," the Longcoat gasped from under Zero's grasp. Zero released him, and he was quick to wordlessly usher them out of the room.

As DG stared confusedly back at him, she saw that he stood blank-faced before the two-way mirror again. His eyes were glaring back at themselves, studying and worried. He muttered something low, something unheard, and his eyes dropped to his feet. If she didn't know better, she would have said he looked ashamed.

The door to their cell block was slow in opening, and light was shed on the interior in a thick yellow beam. It fell across her mother, whose head shot up at once. The light reflected off of tear trails down her cheeks. The Longcoats turned the lantern by the door on full brightness, and the light of midday suddenly filled the block. Both Queen and consort shielded their eyes.

There was silence as DG was escorted calmly and almost reverently to her cell. She walked in of her own accord, and they locked her back in. They cast a wary eye about before they headed back out the door. It closed with a heavy metallic sound, and they were thrown into muffled silence.

The noise took only another precious second to appear all around her. Three voices calling her name. Only one mattered.

"What's wrong?" The Queen cried. "DG, please answer me!"

"DG, sweetheart," Ahamo pleaded. "Just say something. Please, anything."

"That son-of-a-bitch," Cain growled heavily. "DG?" he tried again to get her attention, but she stood staring at the ground at her feet.

DG's resolve broke at the last. The tension slid out of her eyes as hot, fat tears. She turned to him, her big blue eyes wet as they met his. To her surprise, his eyes were nearly as red as Zero's had been, and she knew it wasn't from lack of sleep.

"Wyatt," she croaked, and she hated the sound of her voice.

Through the bars, his arms came through and his hands rested gently on the redness of her wrists. She lay her hands palm-up in his, and his thumbs ran softly over the raw, abused flesh of her wrists soundlessly.

"What happened?" Ahamo asked, now that she seemed to be responsive. He must have seen the way the Tin Man held his daughter's hands, but it was the Queen who really noticed it. Her worry melded into something soft and something anxious as well, and it was anything but well-hidden.

As DG watched Cain tend to her hands, a shaky breath escaped her, and her tears slowed. "Zero..." She looked up and around at the cell block, and she knew that he was listening very intently to them.

"What'd he do, DG?" Cain's voice was close, and the hatred was deep and low in him. It rumbled in his chest like threatening, distant thunder that had built up into a dangerous storm. Her eyes flicked up to his, and what she saw there only confirmed what Zero had said to her. He cared too much, and another heartbreak might flat-out kill him. It made her breath and tears hitch up a second time, but she tried her hardest to quell them.

With her full face exposed to him, Cain could see the red mark across her cheek where Zero had hit her, and the storm behind his eyes only grew in intensity. His hand slipped up to hold her face softly, his cool touch soothing against the hot, stinging mark Zero had left on her.

When his voice came again, it surprised her, and her parents even further. "What'd he do to you?" Protective and strong, but warm and comforting, like a coat she wanted to slip into and just forget about the world. It made a place inside her go soft and tingly, and she wanted him to say it again just for the little thrill it sent through her.

She closed her eyes, the final tears slipping down her face, and one of them caught in Cain's fingers. He wiped her cheeks clear, and as her mouth opened to explain, she heard her mother's voice from across the block.

"Mister Cain?" There was something regal in her voice, something she had lost while locked in the dark cell. Cain and DG both turned to her, and the younger knew exactly what that tone of voice meant. She'd remember it from anywhere. It was her 'explain yourself' voice. She'd used it on the sisters more times that DG could possibly remember. And suddenly, despite Zero breathing down her neck and her plan only half finished, she fixed the Queen with proud stare and straightened her back.

"Yes, Mother?" DG answered for him.

Ahamo flashed a worried glance at his wife, and he was quick to interject. "Darling," he said calmly. "It won't do any good to call the kettle black at this point."

Lavender's mouth dropped open only slightly, but Ahamo's sad, sad smile smoothed it over. DG felt Cain's fingers twitch only slightly as they rested on her cheek, but that was the only indication that he felt any remorse at all for his feelings. DG saved her greatest, most thankful smile for her father and leaned into Cain until her forehead touched the damnable steel bars.

"Wyatt," she whispered to get his attention. He leaned in as well, eyes searching hers and his hand migrated to rest on her neck. "Zero's listening in, so be as quiet as you can."

"All right," he whispered back. He shot a glance in Lavender's direction, and while she still looked slightly scandalized, she began to talk with her husband in raised tones to cover up the whispered conversation.

"He got Emma," DG said quietly. Cain's mouth pulled down at the corners. "I think he... had his way with her."

Cain's mouth fell fully open and as he took a breath to curse Zero in any and all languages she knew, DG's hand flew up to press her fingers against his lips. This silenced him quickly, as she'd hoped it would.

"She's here, and I think she's safe. He hasn't killed her yet."

His hand rose from his side to cover the one she'd placed at his mouth and removed it only slightly. "What about you?" He asked, his eyes washing over her concernedly.

"He tried..." She shook her head, because he really hadn't _tried_ anything. But from Zero's mouth, such suggestions were nearly as terrible and terrifying as the real thing. "He wanted to use me to hurt you."

If she had been able to see his eyes in the darkness before, she was sure that they looked like this. His eyebrows tilted up and the cloudy blue she'd come to love looked almost gray in despair and concern and something else that made her knees feel like liquid. His lips parted with words unsaid, and it was too much for DG to take in all at once. So she shook her head and continued.

"I half-assed a plan. He was gonna shoot me, so I had to think fast."

"I'm gonna kill him," Cain uttered suddenly. The storm that had built up inside him looked near ready to burst, and DG wasn't sure she wanted to be around when it did. To keep him from going berserk and hurting something, she took her hand from his and merely held her palm against the warm side of his face.

"Hold your horses, cowboy," she urged, realizing suddenly just how much she liked the feel of him on her fingers. He didn't seem to mind either. "I told him I'm gonna use a tracking spell to find Az, and he'll be back down here in three hours to see if I've found her."

"You can do that?" He asked incredulously, his eyebrows raised.

"Hell if I know," she muttered back, dropping her hand away to his shoulder.

Brilliantly, he smiled down at her, showing his teeth and causing the skin around his eyes to crinkle up in silent laughter. It brought about her own timid smile, much smaller and shy. "You still want your answer, DG?" He asked, still unable to be rid of the pleasure that had taken his face.

"What answer?" She asked, blinking her big eyes up at him.

"It's yes," he said clearly. Before he let her process and understand, he launched back into speech. "If Zero's coming down here in a couple of hours, we need to tax our brains pretty damn hard to come up with a plan of action. I'll be damned if I let him drag you out of here again."

She nodded and offered him a sad smile. "I think that if I knew where Zero's listening from, I might be able to do something about that."

"I've been looking around," he said, flashing his eyes up to the corner of her cell. "I found two, but there could be more. One in your cell and one in the Queen's."

"All right," she said with a small bounce. "Time to put Tutor's teaching to work. Let's hope I payed more attention than I did in high school."

He pressed her fingers back against his lips only once. "Good luck."

She paused, perhaps to say something more, but her mouth came to the conclusion that she couldn't find the words, and shut itself. She retreated from the bars, quiet and watching him with the slightest upturn of her lips. He looked as if he was unsure of what to do with his arms now that she wasn't in them, and he crossed them over his chest almost awkwardly. She tucked a tuft of hair behind her ear, smiled again, and turned away to the contraption in the corner of her cell.

It looked a bit like a small speaker, only about as big as an egg, and gray to blend with the wall. She turned her head this way and that, inspecting the thing, how it was mounted, and how she thought it might work. She cleared her throat and turned to look across at the three people watching her.

"I'm gonna need everyone to be quiet," she said purposefully. "I'm preparing the tracking spell now, and I need complete silence."

Ahamo raised his eyebrows and turned to stare at his wife with an odd expression. She didn't return it. She was smiling in a knowing way, and nodded minutely. Cain still had his arms crossed, the bars the only thing keeping him from her as he leaned against them. He flashed her an encouraging thumbs up, and she was quick to return it. She took a deep steadying breath and turned back to the recording device.

She climbed up on top of the makeshift bed and stood on her toes, and she nearly did a victory dance that she was barely able to reach the egg-shaped device. She snapped once, and there was the static of feedback from the other end. DG pressed her fingertips gently against the base of the recorder, where it was attached to the wall. The same fingertips Cain had kissed before she'd turned away from him. The thought sent warm light pulsing through her, and it tingled the all the way down her arm and through her fingers. _Let the light flow through you_.

The sparkle of white light escaped her fingertips and encircled the device. Like a rope, it tied itself around the egg-like structure, and there was a small little spark of something that made DG jump. Thankfully, no one said anything or made a gasp. She slowly pulled her hand back, squinted at the thing, and let loose a victorious little smile. She snapped twice, and there was no feedback.

As she climbed down, she held up one thumb to assure them she'd taken care of one of the recorders. She made a silent sign that there was one more in her mother's cell, and the Queen turned to glare at it. This was going to be a bit harder, since she couldn't physically touch the device. Her fingers wrapped around one of the bars between her cell and Cain's as she stood near the door, scowling at the recorder across the cell block. Cain followed her eyes to the second device, and on seeing her expression, covered her hand with his.

The warm light coursed through her again, and her heart sped up at his touch. She flicked her eyes over to his, and he nodded up at the recording device. She took another breath and closed her eyes to focus on the light swirling around inside of her. It was brighter and softer than any of the light she'd felt in her before, and she was sure that she knew why. Her other hand fitted between the bars of the door and pointed up at the corner of her mother's cell.

When DG opened her eyes, she twirled her finger like she was wrapping an invisible thread around the second recorder. Just like the first, it sparked as it was filled with her golden light. Without being asked, the Queen was up on her own bed, her hand also barely reaching the recording device. She snapped twice, just as DG had done, and there was no hiss of feedback.

"Ha HA!" DG exclaimed victoriously, hopping up and down twice. "Take that! I am _awesome_!"

Despite herself, she waited again for another minute in silence, perched on her toes, anticipating Zero to burst in at any moment. It wasn't in her to expect failure, but there was no leeway in this still-forming plan. After the pause dragged on, her smile reformed, and she turned back to Cain. If she could have done anything in her success, she would have jumped up into his arms and kissed him. She wanted it more than anything, but it was quite obviously impossible in the current situation.

"Wyatt, when we get out of here--"

He cut her off before she could say anything. "Not now, DG," he said calmly. "We've got to think of the how before the maybe. All right?"

It killed her to think that it was only a maybe, that Zero, in his infinite cruelty and insanity, would be rid of her before she got a chance to show Cain just what she felt. "Yeah," she murmured back. "Sounds reasonable."

"DG," the Queen said, dragging their attention to her, "what exactly has your tutor been teaching you? I do not remember the spell you just used as part of your curriculum."

"Improv," she responded, a little proudly. "Take what you can."

"What's the plan from here?" Ahamo asked, leaning in eagerly. DG loved the way her father always seemed optimistic, even when things seemed darkest. She supposed that she got it from him.

"Zero's headed down here in a little under three hours," she told them, keeping her voice just loud enough for them to hear. She was sure that there were guards posted outside the cell block door, and the last thing she needed was for them to hear anything when she had asked for complete silence. "He thinks I'm gonna lead him to Az."

"We can't have that," Ahamo muttered, rubbing his chin in thought. He snapped his fingers and pointed up at his girl. "DG, what sort of spells did Tutor teach you?"

The Queen shot him a smile, attached with a 'I just asked that' look that she must have used on him often. "They've been following a curriculum set down by the board of deans at the finest schools in the O.Z."

DG chuckled, and Cain raised his eyebrows at her interestedly. "You obviously don't know me," she said to her mother. "We've been learning defensive and offensive spells, stuff to get me out of scrapes and settle them if I'm stuck. I made Tutor change tack," she added, so the shapeshifter wouldn't find the Queen breathing down his neck. "I wanted to learn things that I could use."

Cain's mouth opened at once, and he looked from Ahamo to DG, as if he'd picked up the man's train of thought. "What about spells to unlock locked doors?"

"Well, I..." DG's face screwed up into an odd, introspective look with wide eyes staring off into nothing. Why hadn't she thought of it before? "I feel _really_ smart right now."

"What about the guards?" The Queen asked, her eyes bright as they looked to the door to the outside. "They will no doubt be armed, and there will be more as we progress."

"I know at least one Freedom Fighter is down here," DG responded. "If we can get them out, too, we'd have no problem overwhelming them."

Her hands were already pressed to her door, palms flat against the cold steel, and she focused on channeling her power through them. She thought of warmth, and freedom, and the way she felt when Cain's arms encircled her. It helped more than she thought it might. That familiar tingle of light crept through her fingers and surged through into the door.

_Unlock, unlock_, she urged silently. She turned one of her hands as if turning a key in a lock, and to her complete surprise, it worked. The lock snapped and the door swung open at her touch. Her eyes darted to the main, heavy door, waiting for it to spring open. It didn't. The three others still locked in their cells gave quiet cheers of encouragement.

She was quick to dash over to Cain's door and set her hands on the lock. She looked up to see his eyes bright on hers, smiling and suddenly full of fervor. Thousands of thoughts crashed through her brain at dangerous speeds, and it seemed like every single one of them was of Zero and Cain, facing each other down, and the former winning. She could see Cain standing in front of her, protecting her, telling her to take cover and run while he slowed Zero down. She saw herself with a bullet in her chest and Cain cradling her with broken eyes as the world went dark around them.

"DG?" His voice was quiet, no longer full of excitement of the battle.

"It feels all wrong," she said, not afraid to look straight up at him. "You shouldn't have to die for me."

His eyebrows drew down unexpectedly, and he searched her face for the explanation of her sudden change of heart. "What the hell are you on about, DG?"

"Who's gonna look after you?" She asked, point blank. "You've got me covered. But who's got your back, Wyatt Cain?"

He tried to smile several times. "I was pretty sure you did, Princess."

She was even more surprised that he brought tears to her eyes again. She didn't let them escape, but there was no denying the shimmer in her too-blue eyes. She didn't even have to think about it, and the lock came undone under her fingers. The door swung inward, and she went with it. Something tight unknotted in her chest when she pressed it up against his and tied her arms behind the back of his head. It could have been just that, just an embrace, warm in each other's arms. That's all it should have been, in the company of the Queen and her husband, mother and father to the little princess. It wasn't.

DG pulled herself up with her hands behind his head, standing on her toes to fit against him. She felt an arm around her waist, just above her hips, and it only helped her up into him. Her eyes were closed as she pressed her lips firmly against his. It wasn't quite a leap into his arms, but it sure served its purpose. He faltered for only a moment, as if she'd taken him by surprise, but it wasn't long before she felt his lips moving against hers. She uttered a pleased little sigh and just melted in his arms.

She didn't care if her mother or father was shouting something indignant, or if the guards outside could hear them. At that moment, Wyatt Cain was definitely the only thing that mattered. He felt so rough against her soft lips, something so wonderful and fascinating that she felt she could have continued kissing him for the rest of her life. Screw breathing, this was too amazing to interrupt. He, unfortunately, understood the need for air and pulled away only slightly to catch the breath she'd stolen.

He didn't say anything at first. He just pressed his forehead against hers, his arm still holding her tightly about the waist. Eyes met and mingled as if seeing each other again for the first time, and his shoulders sagged in defeat. "Ah, hell," he murmured, and he ducked in for another slow, sweet kiss. She was sure she liked this one better.

"We gotta go," he said, suddenly pulling back. She definitely didn't like the sudden space between them, and he nearly laughed at the pout she didn't know she wore. "If we're gonna..." He trailed off, as if he'd forgotten what the whole escape had been for. It hadn't been for this? He wasn't quite sure anymore. "If we're gonna take Zero by surprise, we should go now."

She couldn't remember where she'd put her voice, so she just nodded. Reluctantly, she let her arms slip from around his neck and they fell back to her side. He allowed her to step out first, ever the gentleman, and followed closely. DG didn't look at her mother as she undid the lock of her cell. Ahamo gave her a wide, encouraging smile. Soon, both parents were out and pulled DG together into their arms. She held them back, squeezing with all the strength left in her arms.

"My little girl," Ahamo said, tears obvious in his voice.

"We shall have a talk, you and I," Lavender said to DG as they pulled away from each other, "after we've found our way back home." She fixed Cain with a strong look, one of motherly and queenly pride, and when she laid a hand on the man's upper arm, DG felt a swell of optimism. "For now, I need you to protect my little girl."

"With my life," he told her, and he meant every word. He took a deep breath, shook out the vestigial feelings of his moment with DG, and he was suddenly back. He was Wyatt Cain, Tin Man and Royal Guardian, and he would do everything in his power to be sure that nothing happened to anyone in his care. "Stay close to me. DG?"

"Yes, Wyatt?" She loved the way his name sounded when she said it.

"Take rear guard. You have to let me know where Emma and the others are, or else this plan is bust. And look out for your mother."

"Yes sir," she responded.

She placed her hand on the door separating them from the rest of the prison and willed it open. The door unlocked with a clank, and Cain kicked it the rest of the way open. Together, they stepped out into the light, ready for anything.

* * *

AN: Yeah, remember what I said last time about that being the longest chapter I've ever written? Scratch that. Just scratch it right out. This is the longest thing, like... ever. I have no idea how it got this long. I just can't seem to stop pontificating.Just over 6,000 words, methinks. The characters just ran, and I could do nothing but follow (speaking of, Cain and DG weren't gonna kiss there, but Cain basically grabbed my by the collar and shook me senseless until I wrote it down. He can be pushy). As per usual, feel free to let me know if I've lost it, especially concerning the characters. Cain and DG basically write themselves, so blame them XD. Oh, and Emma... I apologize. Zero's just acrazy sumbitch, and he's kinda taken over the crazy-villain part of my brain. Anyways, hope you guys like the extra long chapter (I don't know if I can keep it up!) and don't hunt me down with pitchforks and torches. I love all of you, especially for your support on the last chapter. Hope y'all had a great holiday, and I hope to see you again! Oh, and of course, STAY AWESOME! 


	13. Chapter 12: Prison Break

**Chapter Twelve: Prison Break**

Cain's fist crunched into the first guard's face, and he was down and out before he even registered the escape. The second met a similar fate when DG dashed at full speed through the doorway and lowered her shoulder to crash into his rib cage. He buckled, and DG recovered with a toss of her hair. One of the remaining two guards shot up off of his stool and made to bolt away. Cain scooped up his guard's stool with one hand and tossed it effortlessly in the running man's direction. It tangled with his legs, and he tumbled to the ground in a messy heap.

The last guard slowly raised his hands as DG grabbed him by the collar and swung him around to look into the steely eyes of an angry Tin Man. Cain cracked his knuckles threateningly, staring the man down.

Cain took control of the man's collar from DG, and she wiped her hands together, smirking past the thudding in her chest. Cain smiled at her in a crooked, almost childlike manner.

"I'm impressed," was all he muttered.

"I had a good teacher," she replied, fixing him with a knowing look. She stepped away quickly to check on the man Cain had hit with the stool. He was groaning in pain and by the way his right ankle was bent, he wasn't getting up anytime soon.

Ahamo leaned down to check on the guard DG had tackled, and he gave a low whistle. "She keeps surprising me," he admitted, letting his eyes fall on the girl standing over the farthest fallen guard. "I'm coming around to the idea that there isn't much she can't do, or won't try at least once." His eyes flicked to Cain's, and he wasn't surprised to find the Tin Man simply watching the princess.

"She's a handful," Cain admitted, and he turned to see Ahamo watching him carefully. "Not... that she..." He fumbled for words so that his statement might not sound so awkward in front of the father of the woman he had just locked lips with.

The guard, sensing a lull in his captor's attention, opened his mouth to shout for help. Cain clocked him once across his bottom jaw, and he learned his lesson. Cain lowered the unconscious man to the ground.

"I don't doubt your intentions," Ahamo said plainly, searching the fallen guards for anything useful in their escape. He found a heavy keyring loaded with several similarly-shaped keys with numbers carved in their heads. "It's my wife you'll have to convince, Mr. Cain."

Cain said nothing at first, and he turned to fix his eyes on DG once more. She, too, was rooting through the guard's effects, in case he had a communicator on him that she would need to destroy.

"We've got to make it out of here first," he said in a low voice that almost caught in his throat.

Ahamo nodded, and Lavender joined them with wary eyes, unaware of their conversation.

"I hope this brutality will be over with quickly," she said, casting a sad eye over the destruction.

"If I know Zero," Cain said, "it'll be anything but quick. If you want to stay behind, Your Highness, we'd be back for you if we make it out."

"No," she said at once, and smiled sadly as DG approached. "I've done my share of hiding. This is where I chose to make my stand, if this should prove to be my last."

DG took her mother's outstretched hand and held it tightly. Her eyes turned to Cain. "He had a communicator on him," she reported. "I junked it. Oh, and take a look at this." She pulled out a gun from behind her back, and Cain's mouth dropped open a notch.

"That's mine," he said, unable to find any cleverer words.

"Zero must've handed out the guns Hark was holding," DG said sadly, slipping the familiar revolver into his hand. "Must not've seen it was yours."

"Small favors," Cain replied, flicking the gun open to check its chambers. Fully loaded. "Lord Ahamo, you should get yourself a gun off of one of these idiots."

"Just Ahamo is fine, Mr. Cain," the man assured him. DG was silently thankful that her father seemed to be warming quickly to the idea that Cain might be sticking around, and not just for the job.

"I've got an idea," DG said, a devious little smile taking her lips. Before she could explain, she had her hands around the ankles of one of the guards and was dragging him back into their cell block. The others got the gist and dragged the other guards in after. They were all piled into DG's old cell, and she locked the door behind them, making sure none still held their keyrings or guns. The instrument felt bulky and dangerous in DG's hands, so she left it behind. Ahamo checked the barrel of the one he had chose and seemed satisfied. Lavender refused to even touch the gun offered to her. They would have to leave it at that.

DG locked the door to the cell block behind her. "Emma's cell is down near the stairs. There's bound to be a few guards down there, so watch yourself."

"If you can get away with taking them down without using your gun, do it," Cain advised Ahamo. "One wrong move, and we'll have the whole prison down on us."

"Understood," Ahamo replied, checking his own ammo.

Cain sucked in a steadying breath, cocked his gun to be at the ready, and took off quietly into the prison. Ahamo led the Queen at his side, his elbow linked with hers and his other hand holding the stolen gun with surprising know-how. DG followed behind, curling her fingers at the feel of hot light pulsing through them. She would do what she had to. For Emma, for Az, Jeb and Glitch--wherever they were. For Hark, and anyone else who had met their end by Zero's means.

The first guard they met was knocked out cold when the butt of Cain's gun met his skull. The guard crumpled before he could give warning. Another caught the movement in the corner of his eye and reached for his pistol at his hip. DG pointed straight at the man with both hands flat like blades, and he was blown back against the wall. His head thudded against concrete, and he, too, fell to the ground.

Cain was out from behind the corner, and his fist flew out to crack against a third guard's jaw. One man finally raised his voice to call out warning. Ahamo took this as a sign that he was free to act. His aim was precise as he shot out at the shouting man's kneecap. He crumpled as the bullet embedded itself in his leg. Ahamo pressed his wife up against the wall as gunfire erupted from the two remaining guards.

Cain ducked, shielding DG with one of his arms and holding his gun out with the other. Three shots were fired, and one of the gunmen finally dropped. The other lowered his gun at Cain when a pair of pale hands flew out from the bars behind him and grabbed him about the neck. He gurgled at the sudden pressure on his windpipe, and in only seconds, the air had been completely squeezed from him. His body hit the floor unceremoniously.

"Emma!" DG cried, and she broke away from Cain's side. She leapt over the fallen guard and entangled her hands in Emma's. The redheaded woman had seen better days. Her hair was unkempt, and her once lively eyes seemed grayer, and full of unspent tears. Her pretty dress from the ball had been torn so that it only vaguely resembled her previous splendor. She had a darkened eye and three red marks down the right side of her neck. Something dark and sad had taken up life behind her eyes, and she had to bite her lip as DG met her.

"Princess," she said in as strong a voice as she could manage. "What's happened? Are you hurt?" She looked about at the rescue party, and her face fell even further. "Jeb?" At the way her voice choked up, DG felt a lump form somewhere in her throat. Even Cain's stone visage broke slightly.

"He's not with us," DG told her, removing one of her hands to work on the lock. "We split up before we went to find Zero. I think he's safe."

Emma nodded, closing her eyes to fight back the tears. "You know about Zero, then? What he did?"

"Yeah," DG responded, sad and low. The lock clicked open, and Emma was free. She stumbled forward out of the cage, looked over her shoulder at the tiny space, then fixed DG with an odd look.

"No time to worry about the laws of physics now," Cain urged, worried about the cry for help the one guard had uttered. "Emma, are there any other resistance fighters down here? We need all the help we can get."

Emma nodded slowly, and she found DG's hands again. "At least eight of us, from the ball. Your viewer friend, Raw, is here, too."

DG gasped, and one hand flew up to cover her mouth to remain quiet. "Where is he?"

"In the top security wing, ground floor," she replied. "Everyone else is down here. Eight fighters, and the rest are the ball-goers we tried to smuggle out." Her fingers shook slightly in DG's grip. "There's so many of them, and so few of us."

"That's never stopped us before," DG assured her. "C'mon, let's crack open some jail cells."

Emma stuck by DG's side the whole time. They made their way down the hallway together while Cain and Ahamo stashed the guards in Emma's cell sans weapons. Emma said little, only pointed out where the individual Freedom Fighters had been locked away. DG used her magic to spring them, one by one. Something cold wormed its way into her heart when she released a man only slightly older than herself with dark black hair. He had Hark's eyes.

"Jesse Harkness," the man said as he gladly shook DG's hand. Her smile was thin and sad, and a long time coming to her face. "It'd be my pleasure to serve you, Princess DG, if you'd have me."

"Gladly," she responded in a troubled voice.

They released the remaining Freedom Fighters, and they grouped together to bolster their numbers. They bowed respectfully to the Queen and greeted Cain with familiarity. He knew their faces, and he paled when faced by Jesse Harkness. They hadn't the heart to tell him what happened to his father, not when they needed all hands for a victory. Six men and three women, including Emma Bradley. Guns from the beaten guards were doled out, and Emma took hers with shaking fingers.

"Last I saw Zero," DG began, keeping her voice low as they stood pressed against a wall near the stairs, "he had me in one of the interrogation rooms. He should still be here somewhere around here, but there's no knowing just where."

"Stick together," Cain added. "We're looking out for you, Highness, so no worries."

"If all you plan on doing is fretting after me, Wyatt Cain, you're in far more trouble than I ever will be." Lavender smiled softly, linking her fingers with her husband.

His mouth hung open only slightly for a moment, and he flashed a look at DG. "Now I know where you get it," he muttered out of the side of his mouth.

"I heard that," she chided.

He sighed a short laugh, and peered around the corner again. Only two guards at the foot of the stair. Just before he made ready to dash out for the stairs, he felt her fingers on his upper arm.

"Wait," she said quietly. He turned back to her, his mouth open to ask why, when she was on her toes to kiss him, quick and sweet. "For good luck," she whispered against his lips. She pulled back and looked up at him with her wide, searching eyes. He stared right back, his lips pulling back into a smile he seemed to have found somewhere just for her. He didn't have to say anything.

The two guards were overwhelmed without much of a struggle, almost silently. Jesse Harkness clobbered one over the head with his stolen gun, and Cain wrenched the other's arm tightly behind his back, his other hand clamped over his mouth.

"Where's Zero?" He growled right beside his ear. The Longcoat paled as he stared out at the angry faces glaring back at him. He muttered something against Cain's hand, and the Tin Man loosened his grip on the man's mouth only slightly.

"There's two offices on the ground floor," he whimpered, his eyes focused on the large rifle Emma Bradley had found. "He's in the one with 'Thompson' on the door. I swear, he just went in a minute ago. He radioed it in and everything."

"Thanks, friend," Cain said with a grin. He nodded to Emma, and the rifle rose in preparation to crack against his skull.

"Wait!" He squealed, and Emma faltered. "I'm through with Zero, I swear! Let me come with you, please!"

Emma's glare hardened, and she battered the man over the head with the butt of her rifle. He collapsed, and blood seeped from the broken skin. Cain dropped the man, giving Emma a fatherly, concerned look. She didn't back down. The fury in her eyes remained.

"Let's go." She didn't meet his eyes.

They didn't bother concealing their footsteps as they all collectively thundered up the stairs. Cain led the way. DG had fallen behind, in step with Jesse Harkness. His eyes were warm and alive, full of vigor and youth and life, the thrill of adventure and freedom in him. Just ahead of them, Emma Bradley was cold and full of fire all at once. Her hair trailed out behind her like a lick of flame from her pale, freckled face. She was too young to have to know what she did then, all the hate and sadness Zero had put upon her. Her knuckles were white on the rifle she knew how to use, and her green eyes were full of tears.

Cain kicked the door atop the stairs open without inhibition, and their presence was suddenly known. Shouts went up, and as Cain fired into the nearest guard, a flash of red blood was the only thing that DG saw. The rest was chaos and confusion. The contingent of escapees shoved themselves out into the lobby of the ground floor, and the fighting broke out anew.

She couldn't see how many guards there were. Her fingertips glowed with the magic she felt bubbling up from inside of her, somewhere deep and endless. Gunfire sounded all around her head, and it was all she could do to shield herself from the shrapnel. One quick punch into the air, and a nearby Longcoat toppled over with a short cry. She shot her fist through space and came into contact with nothing. Another Longcoat, hovering somewhere near her father, doubled up and fell to the ground.

The breath of hot air from a speeding bullet whizzed by her, and she caught a gasp as it thudded into a man behind her, who lay down dead where he had stood. Her father grinned grimly, returning the favor. He switched his aim to elsewhere in the fight, Queen Lavender attached at his arm as she kicked a downed Longcoat in the face with her heeled shoe.

The group stayed close to one another, as instructed, fighting at the fringe and keeping the two royals safe in the center. Jesse Harkness planted a teeth-shattering uppercut on the nearest man, and his bright laughter rang in DG's ears. Emma cocked the rifle with one hand and shot a Longcoat point-blank. Her tattered dress was spattered with his blood, and she didn't seem to care. Her eyes were cold.

DG's heart jumped into her throat as she caught sight of a sign reading 'Top Security' on a nearby door. She didn't think twice as she sprinted away from the group.

"DG!!" It was Cain's voice, and it tugged harshly at her heart. She didn't turn back and ran all the way to the door, wrenching it open with the magic left in her fingertips. She made a mad dash down the white hallway that had opened up before her, the chaos and noise of the battle disappearing behind her.

"Raw!" She shouted, not caring who heard her. Her eyes searched each of the secure, advanced cells she passed.

"DG?" His voice was thin and scared, but it was there. She put on an extra burst of speed and skidded to a halt before the cell his voice called from. His paws were clutching the bars before him. He looked frazzled and his eyes were dewy and wet. She laid one hand comfortingly on his.

"I'm here," she assured him. "We're getting out of here."

"Longcoats coming," he warned, a note of despair in his voice.

"Screw the Longcoats," she laughed. "Bring 'em on." She focused what light she could into her hands, and the electronic panel controlling the sliding prison door the viewer was encased behind shorted out. There was a spark and a lick of black smoke, and the door slid effortlessly open. Raw stood dumbfounded for a shocked moment and only responded when DG grasped his paw tightly in her hand.

"What you do with real DG?" He asked jokingly, but it didn't show on his face.

"No time for bad jokes," she said, pulling him out of the cell. "We're busting out of this joint."

"Must hurry. Reinforcements coming."

"Don't have to tell me twice," she said, and together, they took off at a run back toward the lobby. She could hear the clap of boots on the tile behind them, but for some reason, her heart was strong and fearless. She didn't know why, but she had to remind herself to thank whatever it was later.

Gunshots were muffled from this side of the door, but she was glad to know that the fighting was still going on. Someone was still fighting. Raw was to the door first, and he yanked it open for DG. The first sight she was met with was the body of a dead Longcoat, a bleeding bullet wound open in his neck. She jerked her eyes away from him and jumped over his body. Raw followed, a meek sound whimpering somewhere in his throat.

The body of resistors was still as strong as it had been when she'd left it. They were grouped tightly together, fighting their attackers with every bit of strength they had in them. None had fallen, although she saw that one of the Freedom Fighters had taken a bullet to the shoulder. He was fighting on, his one arm useless at his side. Cain's hat was gone, and she wondered absently where it'd gotten off to.

She gave a gasp as a hand encircled her wrist and pulled her away from the door and the viewer. She barely had time to react before her attacker had tripped her, and she was staring up at the ceiling with her head swimming. She couldn't make up or down of anything, and she was quite sure that either she was spinning, or the room was. Before anything further could register in her brain, there was a great feral snarl, and a ball of fur leapt up onto her attacker.

"DG!" Someone cried. She was sure that it was Cain. More gunfire, and a great shuffling of feet. His face appeared over her, and his fingers were cradling the back of her head gently. "DG, how many fingers do you see?"

He held up three, and she told him such. This seemed to calm his frantic eyes slightly, and he looked up to snap off a shot outside of her vision.

"Stand up!" He urged. Her head lolled slightly, and everything quickly came back into focus. "Come on, Princess!" His hand grasped her upper arm, and she was quick to reciprocate. She tugged at him, and he pulled her up. She was on her feet, clasped to his side, and the world stopped spinning.

Raw reappeared, blood on his claws and looking fierce. "Zero not here," he growled. He ducked a swipe aimed for him, butted his head against the Longcoat's chest and flipped him up and over his head.

"Where is he?" Cain demanded, his arm tight and defensive around DG, holding her close. He popped off another shot, and somewhere, glass shattered.

"Safe," Raw called back. "Surrounded in red, full of fire, darkness in his head."

"Opera house," DG said quickly. "He's back at the opera house."

"Dammit," Cain growled. "We gotta get out of here."

"They'll follow us," Emma shouted, her back up against Cain's. "We gotta get rid of all of 'em."

"Gladly!" Jesse Harkness barked, eyes sparkling and full of adrenaline.

"We're wearing them down," Ahamo noted, reloading his gun as quickly as possible. "It's a good possibility that Zero took a great portion of his forces with him when he ran."

"Like a yellow-bellied snake," Cain muttered. "All right, let's finish this!"

The last was bellowed loudly, and their small force gave a rallying cry. As one, they charged forward into the decimated Longcoat force, who refused to give themselves up. DG received a hard fist to her stomach, and she nearly fell backward at the force behind it. She was caught by Hark's son, and he retaliated by smashing his own fist into the Loncoat's waiting face. A bullet flew by her, and one of the Freedom Fighters crumbled to the ground, dead. Raw gave a frightening roar for the fallen, and surprisingly, the Longcoats took a step back.

A few short gunshots later, only three Longcoats remained. With the resistance staring them down, hate and death etched in their eyes, they could think of nothing better to do than flee. Emma raised her rifle to their retreating backs, but Cain reached out and lowered her gun before she could shoot. She fixed him with an incredulous stare, but he simply shook his head.

"Zero knows we're coming anyway," he said. "They're not a threat anymore."

"Load up while we have the time," Jesse Harkness called out to the small contingent of troops. "Drop your guns and pick up new ones if you have to." They did as they were told, and Emma wordlessly dropped her rifle in favor of two smaller guns.

"DG," Cain said quickly before they were up and moving out. She barely had time to look up at him before he lowered his lips onto hers to kiss her. It was over far too quickly, and he nearly took her with him when he pulled back. "For good luck," he uttered back, something warm and husky about his voice as he lingered near her. They both pointedly ignored the strange look Raw fixed them with.

That the street outside was empty was not a good sign. The twelve remaining fighters moved along at a quick pace for the old opera house. It wasn't far, and Cain was counting on them being fit and ready when they reached Zero's hideout. The Longcoats would be. His eyes flicked here and there as they made their way quickly down the street lit only by the dawn. There was nothing waiting for them in the shadows. No Longcoats, and no Jeb. His heart sank even further, but it was his duty to stay strong. He waved his hand for the others to follow, and they did.

The swinging door to the opera house greeted them, squealing in the silence. Cain went in first, gun drawn and ever-ready. They didn't fly in with a loud battle cry. They were quiet on padded red carpet, on high-alert for hidden Longcoats waiting in the shadows. Nothing came. This brought rippling fear through DG's stomach, and she flatly ignored it.

Their momentum had slowed to a cautious walk as they entered through the center door to the main seating area of the opera house. The chandelier hung above them, swaying and uttering its beautiful, haunting sound throughout the cavernous hall. The aisles and seats were empty. The stage was full.

Zero stood out in front of his armed battalion of Longcoats. He was smiling disarmingly, like a child who was anything but innocent. He stood pin-straight, hands behind his back, eyes flicking back and forth over each and every face that had entered his domain. The Longcoats behind them all seemed to cock their guns at the same time, all pointing out at them.

"Welcome to the party," he said in a boisterous voice. "Fashionably late, as I expected."

Beside her, Emma trembled.

"I'd suggest surrendering your weapons," Zero barked, all geniality gone from his voice. "You've been troublesome, but nothing I can't fix. Especially since Mister Cain has been helpful enough to bring you all at once."

Cain bristled. "Forget them," he shot back. "Just you and me, Zero. Like old times. That's all I want."

Zero laughed, and it echoed eerily in the acoustic hall. "Oh, Cain. I don't think you understand the severity of your situation."

Longcoats appeared from seemingly nowhere, and the group was quickly surrounded. Emma's guns were wrenched from her grasp, and she was grappled into submission. The others tried to fight back, and two warning shots went off. Jesse Harkness shouted something vulgar and spat and those who tried to approach and capture him. He was caught and a heavy punch fell across his face to subdue him. It was falling apart.

DG gasped hard as she was yanked from Cain's side by a pair of strong hands. Cain's hand shot out to grasp at her, but he froze in mid-stride as he glimpsed the black gun that was suddenly pressed up against her neck. She swallowed hard, her wide, frightened eyes fixed on his as she could do and say nothing.

Ahamo held Queen Lavender back, his wife pressing forward against his outstretched arms. "Unhand her!" she cried.

Cain's breath was shallow in his throat, his eyes traveling from DG to Zero rapidly. "Don't do this."

"This is when it gets fun." Zero's voice dripped with delight, and DG shivered in her captor's arms. "I told you, Princess, I'd love to see how easily you break."

"Zero," Cain's voice escalated in desperation and anger. "Don't. You're not like this. Sick and twisted, but not evil."

Zero's lips drew down out of their disturbed smirk, and his eyebrows knitted in very real anxiety. "Of course I am," he responded. The note of apprehension flitted like a nervous bird. "Bring her to me."

DG's captor began to back away, gun still at her throat. Zero hovered like a vulture, watching every move with eyes narrowed almost to the point of closing them. Cain's eyes were suddenly frantic, and he surged forward, almost as if he wasn't controlling himself. A hand caught him mid-chest to prevent him from going to her. He threw off Emma's hand in a quick, frightened move, only to be restrained as two Longcoats appeared and took an arm each.

DG closed her eyes tightly, so she wouldn't have to watch Cain struggle and fight against the Longcoats holding him. She wished that she could close her ears so she wouldn't have to hear him. His voice was strained, so unlike him, and he was shouting alternately at Zero and the various Longcoats. He was calling out her name and growling wordlessly as he was held back with strong arms. A tearless sob tore through her chest, and she sealed her lips to keep quiet.

She dared to allow herself to open her eyes once, and the sight that met her was heartbreaking. The man was fighting against two Longcoats, and another that had stepped in to help restrain him. His teeth were bared like an animal, and he tried his hardest to swipe out at those holding him back, back from her. She'd only seen it once: the hologram projected to torment him in the tin suit for years upon years.

"DG!!" He cried uselessly. It broke the dam she'd set in her throat.

"WYATT!"

The strength she found then must not have been her own. There was no way she could have lashed out to punch the Longcoat straight in the nose until it crunched and bled under her fist. She couldn't possibly have grabbed his fallen gun to clobber him across the face with it. She certainly couldn't have shakily pulled the trigger straight up into the ceiling, where the bouncing projectile collided with one of the dangling supports of the chandelier.

The metal groaned heavily under the weight, and the chandelier gave a lurch that sounded throughout all of the wooden support beams above it. She was shaking, full of emotions she didn't know the origin of, shaking at the exertion, at the toll all of her magic had taken on her untrained body, and her knees gave out from under her.

The tinkling crystal of the chandelier crackled in the air that seemed suddenly full of electricity. The support beams creaked and groaned and finally snapped. Wood and plaster splintered everywhere, and there were sudden shouts and cries from all around her as she hit the ground. The gun clattered harmlessly aside.

All was suddenly pandemonium as the next support beams cracked and the giant ball of crystal and metal came careening out of the ceiling and for the ground. Flurries of bodies flew around her, completely ignoring the princess on the ground. Footsteps thundered everywhere. Like death swooping in, there was an intense swallowing noise as sound momentarily disappeared from the world. Then, with a deafening crash, the chandelier met the ground. Seats shattered around them, and all was bedlam. Gunshots went off, as well as the sound of brawling.

Above all, Zero was trying to shout orders. His voice was frantic, high-pitched and full of menace. He was losing control.

DG felt darkness coming in around her just as two hands pulled her up into a matching pair of strong arms. Someone was calling her name, loving and panic-stricken all at once. She smiled vaguely, and her hand reached out to touch the face hovering above her ever so gently. The voice called out again, louder, and she felt herself being shaken.

Then, there was fire.

* * *

AN: Whew! Wow, I gotta take a breather. My head's spinning from all the action! (if for some obscure reason you wanna know what song I was listening to for the DG captured/chandelier scene, it was Sanctuary! from the Hunchback of Notre Dame Soundtrack. buuuuy iiiit) I love writing fight scenes. Is it obvious? I turn on the loud music and just let the words fly out. I have to write it all in one sitting though. Which would explain why I'm posting another chapter at 3AM. I'm gonna tell you right now, the characters have become the bosses of me. I had planned something else, but they went on their merry ways and did whatever they wanted. I love/hate Zero. And as for Jesse Hark, he's totally played (in my mind, anyway) by a younger Christian Bale. Yep. So, uh, tell me what you think, leave some love, and let me know if I've ruined your experience yet. Thanks again, so much, guys. It's your support that keeps me going. Much, MUCH love to all, and continue that thing with the STAYING AWESOME!! 


	14. Chapter 13: Into the Fire

**Chapter Thirteen: Into the Fire**

Cain shouted her name one more time before she drifted off into darkness. Her hand fell from his face to rest across her middle. A peaceful little smile hung on her lips. For a moment, Cain's insides went cold and dark, and he feared that his heart stopped beating. He pulled her up into him, her chest against his, arms wrapped firmly around her to hold her close. His eyes clamped shut and he sighed a long breath of relief when he felt the breath moving in and out of her chest.

He didn't know that the fire had started until someone gave a shout and the crackling of burning wood caught his ear. Still holding DG against him as he knelt on the ground beside where she'd fallen, he whipped around to face the seats and the fallen chandelier. The seats it had struck were demolished, and the curtains that had tangled in the crystal fixtures were aflame with roaring orange and red fire. The crackle had been fanned into a blaze in an instant.

All had gone dark when the chandelier fell, the lights along the aisles having shorted out. Tiny plumes of smoke rose from the busted light fixtures. The sparks danced and kindled on the red curtains that had been caught in the chandelier's fall. It was spreading to the shattered wooden beams and the plush of the seats, and quickly.

Gunfire cackled in the darkness, and spurts of white light from the end of the guns lit the fiery darkness intermittently. He could hear Jesse Hark laughing for all he was worth. The Longcoats were either engaged in combat or had disappeared in the mayhem. In the darkness lit only by the fire, Cain couldn't see where Ahamo and the Queen had gone.

He was quick to stand, wincing at the creaking in his knees. He cradled DG in his arms. She was limp and unresponsive, but breathing. He scanned his eyes about for her parents and for Zero. Cain had to take a wide step back to avoid a falling piece of burning wood from the ceiling. It was all going to catch, and the opera house was going to burn again.

"Cain!" Emma called to get his attention. His head snapped up the aisle in her direction to see her waving her arm. "Come on, this place is gonna cave!"

"But Zero--" Cain protested. He looked over his shoulder, and the man was gone from his perch on the stage. Cain cursed loudly, if not creatively. "This has to end, Emma!" He shouted back.

"He'll go down in flames," she responded, holding her hand over her eyes as the fire continued to rage around them. "Captain goes down with the ship! That doesn't mean you have to!"

Ahamo and the Queen emerged from behind Emma, and the Consort appeared to be bleeding from the hairline. They both were urging him to follow their escape. Cain gritted his teeth, glancing again back at the stage. Clutching DG close, he took off at a run up the aisle toward her parents and Emma Bradley. The latter actually smiled as he approached.

"Report?" He asked her.

"Longcoats didn't feel like fighting back with the house burning down around their ears," Emma replied. "Me and Jesse took care of the ones that stuck around."

"We're fine," Ahamo assured Cain. "DG?"

"Unconscious," he noted, looking worriedly down at the girl in his arms. She looked asleep, unaware of the chaos unfolding around her. Peaceful, beautiful. Soft and vulnerable, so unlike the girl he'd seen tackle a guard and break a man's nose. She was capable of protecting herself, but not now. She needed him now.

Cain wouldn't have it. His eyes rose to Ahamo, and the fire glinted in the hate he found there. Something dark and cold and dangerous sparked behind Cain's eyes, and it caught faster than any fire.

"It ends here," he growled. "He won't come after her again, I swear to you right here and now."

Without so much as another word, Cain pressed DG into Ahamo's unsteady arms. He caught her, stumbled slightly under the unexpected added weight.

"Tell DG--" He broke himself off, unable to even finish what he knew he wanted to say. Before anyone could stop him, he was off and running back for the stage at full speed.

"Cain!!" Emma shouted after him. She followed, but only got so far before Jesse grabbed her by the wrist and wrenched her back.

"No way," he shouted above the growing flames. "Leave him! We gotta get out of here before we're cooked!"

"I'm not gonna let him kill himself," Emma protested.

"He can make his own decisions," Jesse growled, pulling her back. "Come on, it's our turn to protect the princess!"

Emma's concern overtook her face, and she threw a sad look over her shoulder to see Cain disappear backstage. "Dammit!" She shouted forcefully, and she followed Jesse back up the aisle to the royal family.

Cain brushed aside the curtain leading backstage, and the growl of flames lessened as he left the house behind him. It was dark as pitch behind the act curtain, but he could hear Zero's frightened footsteps as he fled at full speed. Cain followed, nearly tripping over a costume rack.

"Zero, you coward!" He shouted into the blackness. "Always running away, too afraid to face anything like a man! Spineless coward!!"

The footsteps stopped. Cain tensed and braced himself.

"Coward?" Zero's voice echoed off of anything and everything in the darkness. There was no telling where he was. "Is that what you called me?"

"I didn't call you a lionheart," Cain spat back.

He didn't have any time to react as something blunt and heavy cracked across the side of his face. In darkness absolute, there was no way he could have seen it coming. While still reeling sideways, he was struck again in the midsection with just as much force. Cain fell backward into the red act curtain behind him. Where the first fire had burnt it years ago, the curtain was weakened and thin. Under Cain's flailing, tumbling body, half of the curtain snapped off of the hooks far above and collapsed with him. He was shrouded in the heavy fabric, and bright spots of light flashed in front of his eyes at the pain.

Now back on the stage, he could hear the fire again, crackling as it devoured all the fuel available to it. He couldn't see a thing, enveloped in the hanging curtain, and for a moment his mind reeled at the sudden overwhelming sense of defeat.

"Call me a coward again, Cain!" Zero shouted, suddenly right over him. The something blunt and heavy cracked into him again, still trapped in the curtain. "SAY IT!!"

Cain felt pain in his side and his ribs as he coughed out: "Coward!"

Pain flashed like a bright light in front of his eyes as Zero brought the heavy instrument crashing down atop Cain's head. He was barely able to hold onto consciousness as his back hit the hard wood of the stage. Something tumbled to the stage beside him. It sounded like a metal pipe, long and hollow. Cain felt the curtain ripped away from around him, and all was suddenly filled with black smoke. It took a moment of squinting and his head spinning to see.

The entire opera house seemed to be filling with smoke. It clothed the ceiling, seeped down between the aisles and expanded up into the only remaining clean air around them. Zero stood over him, his hands dangling useless at his side. His eyes were wide and glassy, filled with reflective fire that danced around his tiny pupils. There was a terrifying grin dominating the lower half of his face.

Then, he started to laugh. It doubled in volume and his voice cracked as he coughed. The smoke was dense and closing in around them, but still Zero laughed. His hand swung down to pick up the lead pipe he'd dropped, and pointed it threateningly at Cain, sprawled prone on the stage before him.

"So, I'm a coward!" He crowed to an invisible audience. He laughed again, and something in Cain's insides turned. "Better a coward than dead! One of us will be the coward, and the other will be dead. How does that sound, Cain? Tell me how that sounds!!"

Cain coughed, wiping away the blood that flecked on his lips. He didn't answer for the threat that Zero would swing the pipe again.

"A shame I didn't get to have your girl before I killed you," Zero murmured, looking thoughtful. "She's so full of fire. I can tell she would be wonderful. She'd scream, Cain. She _will_ scream when I've found her. You'll be here in a pool of blood, and I'll do whatever I please to her. She won't die quick, Cain!" His arm arced up, the pipe ready to swing again.

The fire backlit Zero intensely, flames leaping behind him and throwing horrifying shadows across his face. He didn't look human, with the orange firelight in his eyes as he grinned maliciously down at the Tin Man.

"Welcome to Hell, Wyatt Cain!"

DG's eyes sprang open with a terrified gasp, and she sat up without warning. This caused the crowd around her to jump back. She clutched a hand to her heart, her breath erratic.

"Wyatt!" Her eyes darted around the familiar faces gathered around her. She didn't see his. "Where's Wyatt?" She tried to stand, but her head swam and she was forced back to sitting. The ground was cold and hard under her. She could hear the sound of crackling flames from across the street. The orange light flickered and reflected in the edge of her eye. She met her father's sad eyes, and he divulged nothing.

Her breathing became shallower, and she searched the crowd once more. Something hard and terrible fixed itself in her heart, and she swore that it stopped beating. "You tell me where he is," she demanded, her voice hard despite something caught in her throat.

"He went back for Zero," Emma divulged. She looked cold and afraid for the first time since she'd been sprung.

DG's mouth fell open, and her wide eyes focused on the burning building across from them. She shook her head, not believing any of it. "No," she said simply. "No, that's stupid."

No one corrected Emma's statement, and no one denied that it did seem very stupid. Even Raw's mouth was turned down in sadness. She couldn't find anything to say, as if her brain had locked her away from her mouth. It opened and closed several times, but there was not a word. Queen Lavender's eyes misted up, and she looked away.

Gunfire erupted behind them, and one of the women screamed. DG realized that it could very well have been her. Jesse dove forward to cover DG with his own body, as Ahamo protected his wife. Emma buckled as a bullet hit her just above the knee, her cries of pain echoing in DG's ears.

Jesse's arms were warm around her, but there was nothing she wanted more than to escape them. She broke her head free of his shield to catch a glimpse of their attackers. Longcoats, a whole long line of them. They must have escaped the opera house and followed them, waiting until they were least expecting them. Even without Zero to shout orders at them, they were ready to kill with impunity. Several were smiling. There they were, sitting ducks in a pond waiting to be picked off, and short one Tin Man.

For one quick moment, DG wondered if it mattered anymore.

It was gone in a flash as DG's hand shot out and she toppled one of the Longcoats into two others with a shove of her magic. She held a hand to her head, woozy again at the effort, and Jesse pulled her back into his protection.

Ahamo and three other Freedom Fighters were shooting back at the Longcoats, and one of the women screamed as her life was cut short. Emma gave a loud roar of frustration and fired blindly into the mass of enemies.

This was it. The last stand. They were outnumbered, outgunned. Thoughts flashed through DG's head, of growing old, and having children, and living life with someone always by her side. This wasn't how she wanted her life to end. She closed her eyes and willed it to be over quickly.

Then, against all hope, one of the Longcoats screamed. He fell, dead, his neck snapped, only an instant later. Gunshots blasted through two more from behind the line of attackers. There was suddenly confusion amongst the Longcoats, unsure of where to fire. Ahamo and Raw took advantage of the distraction and dashed off into the fray. DG cried after them, causing Jesse to turn in their direction. She sent one Longcoat raising his gun at her father flying backwards.

The source of the distraction became suddenly evident. A flash of a maroon overcoat and legs and fists flying sent DG's heart up into her throat. A windmill kick to the face of one and three exact punches to a second Longcoat's chest downed two more. A familiar blond head emerged behind him, shooting with the trained precision of his father, and the same cold eyes. A young woman with long black hair balled her fist and cracked it against a Longcoat's jaw, shaking her hand out at the pain it caused her.

Glitch caught DG's gaze, smiled brightly with a friendly wave, before he knocked another man out with his elbow. DG nearly cried.

Raw clipped a Longcoat hard under the jaw, and he fell backward at the force. Ahamo was no pushover, and he followed his daughter's example as he rammed one enemy to the ground. He popped off two shots at approaching Longcoats, and one fell dead at his feet. The other turned and fled.

It seemed the general consensus for the attacking Longcoats. So many had fallen, they decided it best to make a tactical retreat. They ran for their lives. No one followed.

Jesse moved away from shielding DG, eyes on Glitch with a sense of confusion and wonder that she had seen his father use often. He shook it off quickly as he helped the princess to her feet. She clung to him, her head still light and knees still weak. Glitch was quick to intercept her, folding his arms around her in a tight, warm embrace. She squeezed him back for all she was worth.

Jeb met Emma on the ground, pulling her into his strong embrace. She threw her arms around his neck and wept loudly and openly. His voice broke as he tried to speak comforting words to her, soft and sad in her ear.

Az stepped into DG and Glitch, sharing their embrace and giving her own back to both of them. Her eyes were wet, but her smile was wide. "My baby sister," she said sadly. Glitch held the sisters close to him, protective, comforting, and placed a chaste kiss at DG's hairline.

"Hey DG," he said when her head popped up. "Where's Cain?"

It all came back to her. She'd been distracted by the ambush and the unexpected rescue, but the thoughts came thudding back into her brain, and painfully.

Her eyes locked on the smoke pouring out the top windows of the opera house, and her blood went cold like ice all through her. Glitch and Az followed her gaze, and Az gasped loudly. Glitch's mouth dropped open.

"I'm going in after him," DG said suddenly. Her voice was strong and hard, and there was no arguing.

"After who?" Jeb asked, standing as he held Emma close against his chest. "What's going on?"

"Your idiot father's got himself in trouble again," DG chided. She threw off her long coat, not caring where it landed. "I promised that I'd watch his back."

"Hold your horses, there, Highness!" Glitch said as he clapped a hand on her upper arm. She whirled on him, her eyes full of too many emotions, glaring him down and daring him to stop her. To her surprise, he matched her anger with a mischievous grin. "You're not going anywhere without me."

The two were gone before anyone had a chance to stop them. Their shadows flitted into the hanging opera house door, into the fire.

At the last second, Cain remembered the gun at his hip. His hand darted down and swooped back up with gun in hand just as Zero swung down with the pipe. Metal sounded on metal with an echoing clang. The smoke trapped the sound and batted it back and forth through the house. He'd only barely managed to block the swing, and his arm trembled with the effort it took to keep Zero at bay.

Zero's grin fell into a frown of similarly frightening proportions. Cain smirked victoriously, and he snapped his gun hand forward to knock Zero back away from him. The man stumbled backward, searching his footing and swinging his arms to keep his balance. Cain shoved himself to his feet with a harsh grunt at the effort. He held one hand to his battered ribs, glaring across at Zero with hate flashing in his eyes.

Both recovered at the same instant. As Cain raised his gun to cock it in Zero's direction, he swung back with the pipe and knocked it out of Cain's hand. It skidded across the stage and fell off into the deep orchestra pit. Cain's hand lashed out and punched Zero squarely across the face. The pipe flew out of his hands as he lost his balance and fell to his knees. It followed the path Cain's gun had followed and disappeared over the lip of the stage.

Cain kicked Zero in the chest, onto his back to stare up at the injured Tin Man. Cain wheezed a breath and coughed through the smoke. "I've already been in Hell, Zero. You put me there." He held his side and gave a painful wince. Through the pain, he growled, "I'm gonna be the one to let you see it for yourself."

Zero snarled, and a fearful, caged look came to his eyes. He leapt up at Cain, bowling him over to the ground. His fist followed through on two heavy punches to Cain's face, and on the third, Cain caught his wrist and twisted. Zero growled through his teeth and ignored the strain on his joints by ramming his head forward against Cain's.

Ashes fell quietly to land on Cain's abused forehead just where Zero had hit him, reeling in pain. His eyes went wide, and his hands latched onto Zero's shoulders, and with the the strength in his legs, he rolled the both of them out of the way. Only seconds later, a burning wooden beam crashed to the stage where they had been moments before. The impact shook through both of them, but Zero was first to recover. He planted a knee in Cain's stomach, and Cain coughed harshly at the stabbing pain it sent through him.

"Your nine lives are up, Cain!" Zero shouted, spitting as he spoke. Cain struggled under his grip, the heat from the fallen beam only a foot away from his head. "I'll make sure this time! Plant a few bullets in the back of your head, cut it off, I don't care what I have to do! Then I'll do the same to your boy, and your delicious little princess!"

Cain's anger boiled up in him as if lit with fire from somewhere deep inside. He gave a great growl of hate and rage, grabbed Zero by the shoulders and planted a foot up against the man's stomach. He kicked him up and over his head, sending the Longcoat flying overhead to land with his back flat on the fallen, burning beam. Cain rolled over quickly, getting to one knee and bringing his fists up to his defense. Zero hit the fire with an inhuman scream, and the blackened beam broke under his weight.

He tumbled off of the beam, limping and wounded, his coat burning at the edges. He didn't even bother to put himself out, forcing himself to his feet even as the smell of burning flesh was evident in Cain's nostrils. Both were wheezing and barely able to keep themselves upright. Zero took one step forward and cracked his second foot up against Cain's jaw to send the Tin Man backwards Cain tumbled dangerously close to the open orchestra pit and rolled to a halt with his head hanging over the gap.

Zero hovered over him, smoking with little orange flames biting at his coat and sleeves. His breath was deep in his chest, eyes wide like a scared, trapped animal. He began to laugh again, choking on his own smoke, and raised his foot, ready to kick Cain in the jaw once again to send him over the edge of the orchestra pit. The drop seemed infinite below him.

Without warning, Zero was jerked back by an invisible force, his hands grasping at his throat. Cain wearily pushed himself up onto one elbow, but the strength of his arm gave out under him. Zero gagged and reeled around the stage, clawing at something unseen around his neck. Cain's vision blurred in and out twice, and he swore he was going to pass out.

"Cain!" a voice called to him from somewhere nearby. He couldn't find the words to call back. Again, he heard: "CAIN!" Someone shook his shoulder hard, and he was suddenly back in the world of the living. A blurry face appeared above him, with short, frizzy black hair framing it.

"Who--"

"Good morning, Sweetheart," the voice cajoled, and a bright smile broke over his face. Cain tried to mirror it.

"Glitch," he said wearily. He blinked the haze from his eyes, shaking his head as Glitch took his hand a tried to pull him up. "What's... Zero?"

He looked up then to see Zero on his knees, gasping for air, in front of DG herself. Her glare was hard and sharp, deadly enough to look at, let alone fall under. Her hands held onto thin air in front of her, but Zero was the one to suffer. Her eyes were dewy, but she wouldn't let herself cry.

"DG," Cain breathed, and he nearly lost his footing again.

"You lose again, Zero," DG spat, loosening her grip all at once. Zero took a long, grateful gasp of air, filling his lungs. "After everything you did to Wyatt, everything you did to me and Hark, it's not enough for me to kill you. I'd make me no better than you."

All eyes were on her, and Zero looked up at her pleadingly, eyes wide and petrified and almost completely white. Then, the fury rose up behind her eyes.

"This isn't from me, Zero," she bellowed. "This is from Emma!" That was all she said as she placed her foot in the center of his chest and kicked him backwards. His arms windmilled around him for only an instant before he fell over the edge of the orchestra pit. He collided with the cement floor thirty feet below with a sickening thud and a crack. Adrian Zero was dead.

She didn't watch. Her eyes were fastened to the stage at her feet, vision blurred by unspent tears. Her fists unclenched, and she was suddenly DG again. Her eyes flashed up to catch Glitch and Cain in her gaze, as they both were unable to look away from her. Cain looked about ready to collapse, although Glitch seemed to be doing rather fine keeping him supported.

"Oh, Wyatt," she said, barely above her breath.

He somehow pulled out a smile for her.

"This is a charming reunion and everything," Glitch said quickly, adjusting Cain's arm over his shoulder, "but I'd rather not be here when the building collapses. That's okay, right?"

He didn't need to say anything else. DG threaded Cain's free arm across her shoulders, and together, they helped the wounded Tin Man out of the burning theater. Behind them, the red act curtain was enveloped in a wave of fire, and it burned into floating black ash.

They were surrounded as soon as they emerged from the theater. Jeb took DG's place supporting his father, and Az was quick to her sister's side. DG admitted to lightheadedness and leaned thankfully into Az's embrace. The smoke poured out of the windows behind them, and from the crashing and crumbling behind them, she knew that the building wouldn't last long. A fitting resting place for Zero, she thought. A world of ash and fire, where everything was as black as his soul had become.

A ways back from where the Longcoat ambush had taken place, Jeb and Glitch propped Cain up against the brick wall of another, newer theater. Jeb remained on one knee at his father's side, inspecting his injuries. Cain laughed lightly, wincing at the pain that surged through his ribs.

"You're alive," he said in a glad voice, resting his hand on the junction of Jeb's neck and shoulder. "I was worried there for a while."

"We were swamped by Longcoats," Jeb said, ripping off his bandanna and wrapping it around his father's forehead, where a long cut threatened to bleed into his eyes. "Had to hole ourselves up in a whorehouse until it was safe. We heard them talking about you, about what they were planning to do to DG."

Cain's face fell. He opened his mouth to ask what the plan had been, but then he shook his head. "Don't tell me. I don't want to know. It doesn't matter anymore."

Az and DG approached, their parents behind. Cain raised his eyebrows at the princesses, catching his breath and coughing out the black smoke he'd inhaled. "How are you, Az? You do all right without me throwing you over my shoulder?"

"Jeb is a perfect gentleman," Az said, looking misty herself. "He never left my side."

"That's my boy," Cain said with a nod and a sigh.

He didn't expect the jarring slap across his face. Cain's hand flew up to cover the stinging mark on his left cheek and his eyes shot up indignantly to face his attacker. DG glared back, her eyes just as heated.

"DG, he's wounded!" Jeb protested.

Glitch had jumped back and was held up from stumbling over his own two feet by Raw. Lavender's hands were at her mouth, and Ahamo was silent with eyebrows raised in interest.

"What the hell was that for?" he demanded.

"That was for leaving me behind," she bit, looking stung and hurt herself. "For that self-sacrificing bullshit. You're such a bull-headed... stubborn... _idiot_, Wyatt Cain!"

He said nothing. What _could_ he say to that? He simply held his hand against the side of his face where she'd slapped him, staring up into her accusing eyes with his mouth hanging open.

She was down on her knees beside him in an instant, as if she'd always been there. She placed her hand over his as it lay on the side of his face, then her other on his opposite cheek. Without another word, she pulled them together and kissed him.

She felt him sigh against her soft, sad kiss, and his battered fingers moved up to brush the hair gently away from her face. Her eyes closed, and suddenly, they were the only two people in the world: the princess and her Tin Man. He leaned up and into her, curling his fingers around the back of her neck to coax more from her. She obliged easily and settled gently against him. He hissed at the pain of her against his battered ribs, and she made as if to pull away embarrassedly. He would have none of that and pulled her right back against his lips.

Their kiss in his cell had been soft and slow, residual affection from the quiet confessions in the dark. This was needy, but no less passionate. DG was quite sure she'd never been kissed the way Cain was kissing her, warm and knowing, like he knew everything about her and the way she moved before she did. She felt his mouth open under hers, and she could only follow in suit as his tongue skimmed against her lower lip. She shivered and melted forward into him, brushing her tongue back against his encouragingly. He tasted like smoke, and the metallic sting of blood hid somewhere in the back of his mouth. She deepened their kiss to sooth it all away, her hands curled around the back of his neck. He was all too happy with the development and wrapped his arms around the back of her to pull them even closer.

The chill up her back resulted in a quick, staccato breath as she pulled slightly back. His eyes flicked concernedly up to hers. She nearly laughed. "What's so funny?" He asked, as if his pride had been deflated.

"They're watching us," she whispered back, still so close to his lips.

Cain's eyes turned to look outward, and he became aware that everyone _was_ watching them. The thought occurred to him that only Lavender and Ahamo knew about the two of them, and their approval was currently still pending. DG was delighted to see the rarity of Cain's blush take his face.

"Do you want to explain something, Father?" Jeb asked, his expression stuck somewhere between horror and fascination.

Glitch gave a low, astounded whistle. Az had hidden her face somewhere in Glitch's lapels, shaking with silent laughter she knew was inappropriate.

"I, ah..." Cain winced, realizing that he really was in a great amount of pain. "Later. Everything can wait. I just... need to lie down."

"We all do," Emma said, with a note of finality. She met DG's eye, and something resembling life and love sparkled in her gray-green eyes. The ghost of a smile appeared for only a moment, and the way she clung to Jeb spoke of recognition, a knowing look between two women who needed their Cain boys. "I just want to get out of here, as far away as we can get."

Cain tried his best to walk on his own as the group of resistors limped and hobbled away from the burning wreckage of the old opera house. When he stumbled, DG caught him, one of his arms draped over her shoulder for support. He whispered his thanks, leaning into her to keep himself upright.

"When we get settled in," he began in a low, quiet voice to keep the others out of their business, "we really should finish what we started."

She smiled, heat finding its way into her cheeks against all reasoning. "You better watch out, Wyatt Cain," she whispered back. "I think I'm falling in love with you."

He watched her as they limped along, his eyes kind and silent. After a long pause, he finally broke their silence. "I fell in love with you a long time ago, DG."

It took all the effort left in her body not to leap onto him and kiss him until he couldn't breathe. She somehow managed to restrain herself. Somehow.

* * *

AN: Wow, man. Just wow. That was intense, for me. I had all this loud music playing in my head, and I couldn't stop writing. That's why you get another chapter so soon. Thank my iTunes playlist marked "Action-y Music." So, uh... Was it cheesy? Did Zero go out in a good way? I had a cheesier way of him dying, but I left it at this--plain was kinda fitting for a guy gone as crazy as he did. I still loved writing him. He was probably the most fun thing to write out of the whole story. I don't usually do crazy characters, but he's made me rethink slightly. (and so you know, I totally LOLed when I realized that I gave DG a "THIS IS SPARTAAA" moment there... heheh...) Anyway, I'm thinking this needs an epilogue. What do you say? One more chapter? I could draw up a nice conclusion for everyone, if that's what you want. It could also end here if it needed to. Well, as always, lemme know what you think, especially if this is a ridiculous conclusion, and if it came too fast. And, if I don't see you guys again for another chapter (who am I kidding? The epilogue is sooo gonna happen) I want to say how much fun it's been to give this to you guys. It's been amazing, and I loved every second of it. Here goes nothing!! Oh, and of course... STAY AWESOME!! 


	15. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

"He's good for her, I think," DG said absently, playing her fingers in the grass she was sitting in.

"Think so?" Cain asked, his own eyes on the laughing pair quite a ways away from them.

"Well, I think they're both good for each other," she revised. "She needs a good friend. A sister's a sister, but nothing beats a best friend."

Cain's eyes flicked down to the girl leaning up against his chest, twirling long blades of grass in her fingers.

"Besides, he makes her laugh," she continued. "She didn't laugh much before." At the pause that took them, her eyes shot up to his, almost accusatory. "What?"

"You," he said simply. He acted as if he wouldn't expound, and she punched him lightly on the shoulder. He offered a dry laugh as he rubbed the offended shoulder. "You're a piece of work, Princess."

"Keeps you on your toes," she responded, curling back up against him.

Her eyes retreated back across the garden to watch her sister and royal aide Ambrose walk amongst the flowers. She was subdued, with a pretty smile on her face as she watched Ambrose pontificate. He used his arms far too much when he talked, and Az had divulged to DG that she often had to duck out of the way as he gesticulated excitedly. He spoke with his hands, it seemed, and he talked a lot. Cain and DG, sitting together under a tree whose leaves seemed to sparkle with crystals, only caught snippets of their conversation.

"I think I lost an electron, the other one says," Glitch said, swinging one arm around to help the words out of his mouth.

"Wait, wait," Az said quickly, her shoulders shaking with laughter. "I've heard this one."

"What?" Glitch looked taken aback. "Who? When? Has someone been stealing my jokes again?"

"You did. Not five minutes ago, among the hydrangeas," Az countered, smiling broadly.

Glitch blinked oddly in thought, and Ambrose was quick to take his place. "Forgive me, sometimes my synapses don't fire right."

"You're forgiven, Ambrose," Az replied, her fingers brushing along a flower's petals.

"Please," he offered a full, kind smile. "Call me Glitch."

"Come on," Cain said at last, pulling himself out from under her. She took the short tumble into the grass, her support gone. She pushed herself up on both hands to pout up at him as he dusted off his pants.

"I was comfortable," she groused. She took his proffered hand and picked the stray grass from her own long skirt. "I don't want to go back yet. Mother's gonna have a fit when she finds out I skipped my history lesson."

Cain's mouth dropped open. "DG, you skipped a lesson?"

"I did it all the time on the Other Side," she said, waving a hand flippantly at the question. "Besides, you're way more interesting than history. All my tutor needs is a pink bow, and I could call her Umbridge."

His eyebrows drew down slowly in confusion. His mouth opened to tell her something, but she was up on her toes to kiss him before he had the chance. As always, she left him stunned in her wake. He caught up to her more quickly than usual, that time, his hand on her upper arm to spin her back into him.

She had her eyes closed, smiling brightly as she waited for him to return the favor. When he didn't immediately press his lips to hers, she cracked one eye open to stare up at him. He had fixed her with a stern gaze, a hand on each shoulder. She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"What? Please don't lecture me, Wyatt, I've had quite enough of that."

"Jeb's coming in today," he said, his voice low. DG's sarcastic smile fell off her face rather quickly.

"And Emma?"

Cain nodded, and she noticed that he had taken to running his thumbs up and down her arms as he held her square to him. She lowered her gaze to hover somewhere near his throat.

"Have you heard anything?" she asked.

"He sent word that he was headed down a day or so ago, and to make up a room for him and his girl. They're like to stick around for a few days. Resistors in the west are finally laying down arms, so Jeb's free for longer than usual this time." He paused, his eyes tracing her face in a way that was familiar and comforting to her. "They're getting married," he told her at last.

DG's smile brightened almost immediately. "Are we invited? Do I have to wear an awful bridesmaid dress?"

Cain cocked an eyebrow at her, and she shook her head.

"Nevermind. Another weird Other Sider tradition." A sigh escaped her, and she glanced over her shoulder at Glitch and Az in the garden. "What's the occasion?"

"The Queen and Consort's anniversary dinner," Cain returned. "And yes," he cut in before she could remark, "you have to wear a dress."

"If I'm wearing a dress, you're wearing a tux. I'll make sure the tailors take in the butt, so I'll have something to do all night."

She took his slack-jawed, red-faced silence and twisted it to her advantage, pressing herself up and in for a prolonged kiss. Just as she felt that he was giving in, he pulled back, only just. When she pouted and tried to move back into him, he pulled his head back even further, smiling.

"Tease," she grumbled.

"Back to the palace," he ordered. "We can avoid your mother all you want after Jeb and Emma get in."

"Deal." They shook hands on it, and walked arm in arm through the garden and back to the castle at Finaqua.

They waited together in the reception hall, a rather squat room in comparison to the high ceilings that dominated the rest of the palace. For the upcoming celebration, the walls had been decorated with hanging tapestries that seemed to change color when one walked past them. One moment, they seemed blue, and at the next, a deep purple. They reminded DG of a peacock's feathers, and warm memories of zoo trips brightened her face every time she passed them.

They spoke in quiet voices, for anything above a whisper tended to echo anywhere in Finaqua. Cain was sure it had something to do with magic, and DG claimed his fear was based on his inadequate knowledge of magic in the first place. DG was apparently getting quite good at it, having doubled her efforts after the run-in with Zero and his Longcoats two months previous. As their conversation wound here and there, Cain's fingers ran absently over the tops of hers. DG wordlessly observed the pale band around his ring finger where he'd once worn gold, and wasn't sure how she should feel about the empty space.

The door opened on the other side of the room, and Cain shot up out of his seat in an instant. DG muttered something about him moving quickly for an old man, but he'd learned to ignore her jabs about their age gap. Standing in the doorway were Jeb Cain and Emma Bradley. Cain was across the room quickly, pulling his son into a tight embrace. DG was at his side, pulling Emma into her own arms like she was greeting some long-lost redheaded sister.

"Fancy meeting you here," DG said with a lopsided grin as she pulled away. "I heard the news."

Emma's face surprisingly blanched for a moment, but Jeb stepped in to get a hug from DG, speaking as he did.

"Don't make too much of a fuss over it," Jeb implored. "It'll be something simple, friends and family."

"Don't think you're getting out of being Maid of Honor," Emma returned, her color back in her pretty face. "I already spoke with your mother, and she's agreed to let you go."

The girls exchanged a smile, flicking eyes to father and son as if they shared a wonderful inside joke. DG supposed that they did, and wondered how many of her friends back in Kansas would have laughed at her situation--attached to a man twice her age, his son marrying a girl no older than DG. Then again, it _was_ Kansas. She only had to stretch her imagination so far.

"Well, come on in," DG made a motion for their guests to step past them. "Mi casa es su casa, and all that nonsense."

"I don't understand her half of the time," she heard Cain mutter to his son.

Jeb brought about a smile, something that DG had been glad to see. It had taken a long and arduous talk to get him to believe that his father wasn't some lecherous old man pawing at a princess--Cain forgave him quickly; he hadn't known his father for eight years, and there was no telling what to expect from a man he hardly knew. Once Jeb had seen the two of them through a week, he'd backed off with his well-wishes, and that was all he'd had to say on the subject. DG was seeing him for the first time since he'd left nearly a month and a half ago, to hold fortifications against the few straggling Longcoat resistors in the west.

Emma, of course, had been all for it. She'd secretly confessed an interest in whether Jeb and his father were alike in more ways than one. DG had blushed furiously and blustered something about bases that Emma thankfully didn't understand.

As the four walked together further into the reception hall, DG felt a hesitant hand on her shoulder. She turned to Emma, whose pale and freckled hand lay gently on DG's upper arm. Her eyes said everything. They said 'girl time' and the time was now. DG nodded minutely, then whirled on the boys.

"Why don't you two catch up on manly things?" She took Emma's hand in hers and drove her back toward the door. "We'll be in the garden."

"DG--" Cain protested, looking out of the loop.

DG's eyes shot back over her shoulder. "Girl stuff."

That was obviously enough to set Cain back, for he turned back around to face his son with an oddly stone-faced expression. He had obviously inquired into the meaning of 'girl-stuff' before and had likely suffered for it. Jeb nearly laughed.

They sat together on a white marble bench near a row of pretty orange flowers that DG had yet to learn the name of. The sounds of Az and Glitch were far off, probably getting lost in the maze again. It seemed to be their favorite new pastime.

Emma kneaded her hands together, her eyes focused on her knuckles as opposed to the flowering plants surrounding them. DG wondered absently what marital advise she would have to offer, and why Emma seemed so adamant on getting DG alone.

"I'm pregnant," Emma said quickly, as if it was painful.

DG's smile brightened immensely. "Emma, that's great! How'd you find out? You know when it's due?"

"I--" Her voice cut DG off, but both girls stopped talking at the same time. Emma was the first to continue. "The doctor told me that I'm about two months along."

DG's smile remained for a moment, unsure of what the problem was. When Emma's familiar tears returned, DG's smile fell several notches. After another precious few moments, DG's face fell completely.

"Two months," she repeated. "Oh, Emma. You don't think... Did you and Jeb...?"

"I don't know," she replied, her voice suddenly wet. She paused to wipe at her eyes. "To be honest, Jeb and I slept together the night before the ball, so it's completely possible. It's just..." She turned to face the princess, and the most terrified look seized her eyes. "DG, what if it's _his_?"

A chill went through DG at the memories her thin, fearful voice evoked. Fire in the glassy, staring eyes of Adrian Zero, pleading for his life without words. The way rage had filled her to her eyebrows at the mere thought of what he'd done to Emma. The way she felt guiltily satisfied at the sound he made as he hit the floor of the orchestra pit.

"I want it to be Jeb's," Emma continued. "But every night, I hear him. Like he's still breathing in my ear. I wake up and I swear that he's right there next to me, not Jeb. He's never going to leave me alone, DG, not even when he's two months dead." Her voice was trying to be strong, but as she wiped the tears away, even DG felt a lump trying to coalesce in her throat.

"Whose do you think it is?" DG asked, squeezing the girl's hand tightly.

Emma sniffled piteously, her red hair falling down into her eyes. After a long moment, she said simply: "Jeb's." She nodded slowly, biting her lip.

"Then it's Jeb's baby," DG replied encouragingly. "I know nothing I say is gonna make it any better or worse than it already is, but listen to me, Emma. That boy loves you, and he's gonna marry you. If you think it's his baby, and he thinks it's his baby, then it's his."

"You don't know, DG," Emma cried. "He was all talk with you. What if it'd been you, and you didn't know if it was Cain's baby or_his_? What would _you_ think?" Her eyes were full of tears, just a step below accusatory.

DG shook her head. "We haven't..." She snapped her mouth shut, rethought her words, then tried again. "I'd be just as scared as you," she said finally.

This, surprisingly, seemed to calm the redhead, and her broken sobs devolved into hiccups full of tears. DG pulled Emma into a tight hug, and it was over. As they left the garden, they were met by Az and Glitch, who were just as excited to see the woman and to hear news of the wedding. Glitch offered to teach the bride-to-be how to dance, and quickly went about a demonstration of his prowess by taking Az by the hands and leading her in a waltz around the hydrangeas.

The anniversary dinner was a small affair, considering how large an event the ball and other such events had been in the past. All those present at the jail break and face-off against Zero had been invited, as well as several heroes from the double eclipse. Jesse Harkness, newly promoted Captain of the Western Battalion, arrived in a fine blue tunic with one of the surviving young women from the jailbreak on his arm. They both cleaned up well, and Jesse still held a glint of adventure in his eye. He'd taken the news of his father's death remarkably well, and said that the man had died a hero's death; the best any of them could ask for.

The dining hall was long and bedecked in the luxurious tapestries that DG was so fond of. The table was made out of a wood so dark-brown that it seemed nearly black, with chairs to match. Two identical chairs sat at the head of the table, where her mother and father would take their seats once everyone had been greeted at the door. DG forwent any supposed formality and embraced her parents as she and Wyatt Cain entered the double doors to the room together.

"Happy Anniversary," DG said as she pulled both of them into a tight embrace. "You guys look great."

Ahamo chuckled to himself, looking slightly embarrassed at the compliment. "You don't look so bad yourself, Sweetheart."

"This old thing?" She asked, taking a twirl. The light blue dress fanned out around her as she did, the material light and buoyant. She had chosen it for that express purpose, and the way it had made Cain's eyes bug out the first time he'd seen her in it. She prided herself in the way she seemed to raise his blood pressure from time to time. 'DG, you're gonna give an old man a heart attack,' he would say, and she would follow, usually, by sticking her tongue out at him and proclaiming him just old enough.

"I have you sitting at your father's elbow, DG," the Queen said, shaking Cain's hand politely as she did with every other guest. "And Mr. Cain beside you. Is this all right?"

"Perfect," DG responded with a smile. Cain shook hands with Ahamo, who pulled the man into a quick embrace. As Cain pulled away, a strange look focused on DG's father, Ahamo pointed a single finger right at Cain's chest and lowered his eyebrows knowingly. Cain nodded, clapping Ahamo on the shoulder in the same deliberate way.

As he led her away to the table, already half-full of resistance fighters and royal aides, DG leaned in to whisper up into his ear. "What was that, some kind of man-code?"

"Something like that," Cain laughed back.

The cooks her mother had hired had apparently been working on the feast for a week. This, at least, was what DG assumed upon seeing the massive amount of food that had been set out on the table before them. She said something about keeping up her girlish figure, and she managed to laugh at the indecision on what was right to say crossed Cain's face.

Only minutes later, Az arrived with her hand cradled in Ambrose's arm. Everyone was glad to see the two halves of his brain finally learning to cooperate with one another, one side taking over when necessary. Ambrose took care of the advising. Glitch was a people person, and quickly became what DG liked to call the Palace PR. Ambrose also seemed to have infused Glitch with some of his tidier mannerisms and his gentlemanly formality. But no one could deny that the smile he wore when he escorted Az into the dining hall belonged to Glitch.

Az had benefitted from her friendship with the royal aide, and no one was happier to see this than her mother. The once hard-faced woman who had held the O.Z. in her iron clutch was gone, and a softer, more gentle girl emerged from her ashes. She smiled often, in a nearly childish way. She'd been seen more often with Glitch than with anyone, besides her sister. The three would often hole themselves up in the library for hours, swapping stories and laughing until the rafters echoed. Az never let Glitch see her cry. That was DG's job, and when the nights got too hard, the elder princess would crawl into DG's bed beside her and weep into her pillow. DG never uttered a word of displeasure at being awakened. It wasn't in her to do so.

Ambrose pulled out the chair at the Queen's elbow, and Az sat with a kind smile of thanks. Ambrose sat beside her, checking his shirtcuffs before glancing up at his company across the table. Glitch twitched into his eyes as he looked from Cain to DG.

"Have you seen Emma today?" He asked DG, leaning back in his chair and smiling brightly. "She plain outshines her dress. Glowing, I tell you. Like someone stuck one of the suns behind her eyes. That girl's ready to get married."

Cain's fingers twitched as they held onto DG's, and she took a moment to glance in his direction. He was watching his place-setting very carefully, as if to make sure every piece was in its place. He cleared his throat as he looked up at Glitch.

"You heard, then?"

"I know they're supposed to announce it today at the dinner," Glitch began, looking over his shoulder to be sure that they were alone, "but Azkadee and I heard all about it when they showed up. Emma was fit to bust, I think."

Cain's eyes met DG's inquisitive ones, and she saw the worry he'd tried to hide. Emma hadn't yet told Jeb about her fears for the baby, but Cain had managed to pull it out of DG. He was quite the persuader when he wanted to be, and she hated and loved him for it. She made him pinkie swear not to tell Jeb, and when she explained that she got to break his pinkie if he broke his promise, he was quick to assure her that he had no intention of squealing. She still grinned at the thought that he _knew_ she could break his pinkie.

It wasn't long before Emma and Jeb entered the room, graciously welcomed by Queen and Consort. The redhead did indeed seem to be shining, from some inner glow that only DG, Cain and Jeb knew about. It wouldn't be long until she couldn't hide the growing bump on her abdomen. DG secretly hoped that she got married before she'd have to explain the lump under her pretty white dress. Then again, she wondered, did the purity of the white wedding dress have the same meaning in the O.Z.? She still had quite a bit to learn.

Jeb took his seat beside his father, with Emma next to him and looking just splendid. Glitch leaned across the table to compliment the young lady in her raiment and her natural glow. She waved away the compliment, and the princess was glad to see no evidence of her previous sadness anywhere in her.

In no time, the Queen and Consort arrived to stand at their places, twin seats at the head of the table. True partnership in love, neither leading or following, but both stepping together through life, and meeting obstacles in the same stride. It made DG's chest fill with butterflies.

"For years," Queen Lavender began, "I was separated from my husband. And still, every annual on this day, I would send my love to him with all of the heart I had left in me. The strength of my love for him never faltered, and my heart stayed true, despite its breaking every moment we were apart."

"When I was sent to the Realm of the Unwanted," Ahamo continued, "for my safety and to protect the secret of the Emerald, I was sent away from my first and only true love. Every annual on this very day, I'd watch the sky and send my love to her, wherever she might have been. Never knowing, for fifteen annuals, broke me to pieces inside, but for every piece gone, I loved her even more."

"We're gathered here to celebrate a union," Lavender picked up the threads. "A union tested by time and tried on so many occasions."

"Or perhaps you've only come for the food." Ahamo's comment caused laughter, and Lavender shook her head kindly. "Too many words are wasted on something as intangible as love," he continued, passing his gaze over all that gathered at the table. "So, let us stop this talking and move on to something far more tangible."

"Hear, hear," Glitch announced, raising his glass in toast. DG giggled and raised her own. As the entire table raised their glasses and clanged their forks against the crystal of the wine goblets, Lavender and Ahamo could only submit to the tradition. They swooped together for a kiss, which was met with applause all around.

At the break between dinner and dessert, Queen Lavender rose to announce an announcement. DG turned her giggle into a cough, and Cain's hand squeezed hers under the table. Jeb and Emma also stood, and the boy declared their plans to be married. This elicited rather informal cheer from the gathered Freedom Fighters, including Jesse Hark, who stuck his fingers in his mouth to whistle. Emma blushed and laughed as any good bride should. DG was glad that the girl seemed to have pressed her worries aside for the dinner and for the announcement.

Ahamo also stood to offer his congratulations to the young couple, and that they were invited to use the gardens on the royal grounds of Finaqua as their site for the wedding, if they should so choose. Emma brightened quickly, and only one look at her lovely face all lit up made quick Jeb agree.

"We'll take you up on your generous offer, Majesties," Jeb said, bowing slightly. Emma curtseyed beside him, holding tightly to her fiancé's hand.

As dessert was doled out, talk returned to a murmur between peoples. Cain searched for his fork for several moments before he sighed at the uselessness and turned his eyes on the girl beside him. She produced his fork with a flourish, a childish gleam in her eyes.

He took it back, smirking slightly himself. He seemed ready to dive into the slice of cake that had been laid before him, but his utensil hovered just above it.

He watched his son talking animatedly with the girl who would wear his ring, who would be married to him, and who desperately loved him. Their smiles looked too painful to keep on as long as they had, but they never seemed to notice. Cain set his fork down beside his plate and turned slightly to the princess at his side. She almost didn't notice him.

"DG," he said quietly to get her attention. She turned from watching Glitch offer his dessert to Az, her own pretty smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "I was thinking..." He dragged his eyes up to hers, and then tried to shrug off the emotion she saw behind them. "Maybe we should get married."

She didn't say anything for quite some time, and in their silence, Cain was glad to hear that no one had caught his private words in their own ears. Or, if they had, they were pretending not to be listening very well. She was still smiling, just a little brush of a thing across her lips. They parted when she spoke, and Cain's eyes shot back up to her eyes.

"Are you proposing to me, Wyatt Cain?"

He thought of several things to say to that, and each time, they failed to leave his throat. He cleared it quietly, as if that would help, and was subjected to DG's light little laugh.

"Only," he began, suddenly wary of all the people around them. He had let the spur of the moment get to him, and he mentally kicked himself for not waiting until they were alone. "Only if you want to." He wanted to slap his palm against his forehead for letting the ridiculous sentence slip through his lips. "What I mean to say is--"

"If you're gonna pull out some line you've already used a million times, forget about it," DG cut him off. "I'm a kid and you're an old man. I'm a princess and you're my guardian. You've got a kid who's just about as old as I am, and now _he's_ getting married. I know all your excuses already," she said as the corners of her mouth turned up even more.

"You don't have to rub it in," he grumbled, more aware of how old his son was today than any other day before.

"Wyatt, I wouldn't be the only one getting married, here. You'd be in on it too, you know." Before he could interject something he probably thought was witty, she continued. "Do you love me?" She asked, as if out of the blue.

"You know I do," he responded, now definitely worried that someone would poke their heads into their whispered conversation.

"I want you to say it," she said very plainly. She'd done so on several occasions, for she knew Cain to be a man of action rather than words. He sighed, and one side of his mouth ticked up in a sideways smirk.

"I love you, DG, and I want to marry you." He very nearly laughed. "And if you want me to say it again, forget it. I know all your little tricks by now."

"Not all of them," she whispered mischievously. He ignored the double meaning on purpose, flicked his eyes to her parents to be sure they weren't glowering down at him, then ducked in to place a kiss on her temple.

"Later," he said as he swiped a bite of her cake and stuck it in his mouth. "This is your parents' dinner, after all."

"You just don't want to upstage Jeb," she murmured, stealing a bite from his cake in return. As she finished chewing and swallowing, she added: "I haven't even said yes, Mr. Cain."

His face was blank as he watched her for several minutes. She was equally as deadpan, stuffing bites of cake into her mouth. After another silent moment, her dam broke and she snorted in laughter. His loud, boisterous laughter surprised her. It was something she'd never heard, something so bright and powerful that it almost didn't seem to come from him. She hoped to several names on high that she'd hear it again, and often. Her laughter grew to meet his, and the two became a laughing, shaking mess in no time.

Most talk had stopped abruptly as soon as Cain's laugh barked out of his chest, and all of those eyes watched the pair dissolve in their fit of unexplained and unwonted laughter. Jeb's mouth hung slightly open, a piece of cake halfway to his mouth. Az seemed unsure as to whether she should join them or be worried.

DG's laughter tinkled away into light giggles, and Cain heaved a great sigh as he wiped one of his eyes. She watched his smile with bright, shining eyes, savoring it. She didn't have to say anything, and he was glad for it. Unspoken seemed to be their language, and he preferred it that way. She gave another quick hiccup of laughter and began to work again on her dessert. Cain shook his head slightly, still grinning like a boy at Christmas, and copied her movement.

"What's so funny?" Ahamo asked after the two had calmed down, half of his own smile quirked up. Some of the guests seemed to melt back into their own conversations, but any who knew Cain well seemed very interested in knowing why he suddenly decided to break into laughter.

Cain shrugged. "DG knows a few good jokes. Something about a fish?" He turned to DG for clarification. A panicked look came into her eye, and Cain seemed to be ignoring her angry glare.

"Oh, yeah," she stalled. Think, think! Any crappy joke would do. "So, these two fish were in a tank. One said to the other, 'Do you know how to drive this thing?'" She paused, a bright smile on her face as she looked from her mother to her father, waiting expectantly for their judgement. Cain's shoulders shook with silent laughter. Husband and wife exchange a glance, and Ahamo began to laugh lightly.

"DG, that has to be one of the worst jokes I've ever heard."

DG shrugged and went back to her cake. She linked her fingers together with Cain's as his hand lay at his knee under the table. She felt his thumb run the familiar trail over her knuckles, every single one, over and back again, never tired of the way she felt in his hand.

"Someone's been stealing my jokes," Glitch muttered under his breath as he stabbed moodily at his own dessert. Az chuckled to herself.

Cain stood up at dinner three nights from the anniversary dinner and asked the Queen and Ahamo for permission to marry their daughter. Az jumped up and threw her arms around her sister, squeezing her tight in her joy. Glitch uttered a wolf-whistle, which made Cain's face turn an unsure shade of red. Ahamo agreed immediately, grabbing Cain's hand with both of his and shaking it enthusiastically. Queen Lavender admitted that it was DG's choice who she married, and that she had little leverage to go on, considering her own marriage to a Slipper. She would, however, have to grow accustomed to the idea of her daughter wed to a man nearly as old as her father.

DG laughed as Cain grumbled again about age differences. "Don't have a heart attack, old man," she whispered before she pulled herself up into a kiss. He gave her a twirl as they locked themselves together at the lips. She loved the sound of his laughter.

* * *

AN: What a trip. Wow, guys, this was an epic journey for me, and you all have no idea how much I appreciated having y'all along for the ride. All the way, you helped me out and kept my chin up. The encouragement kept me on my feet and kept me moving. I'm sure I would've petered out a long time ago without all of your support. So, this is for all of you! Dedicated to everyone! All of my reviewers and readers who made this story so awesome, and so fun for me to write. I looked forward to anything and everything you guys had to say, and I've been a ball of warm-fuzzies since the first chapter went up. Sure, it probably sounds cheesy, but it's all true. Thank you, Thank you all!! (Must mention a special thanks to **Thayne** for beta-ing for me when my old beta bailed. Thanks much!) Well, now that it's over, I must say that I've been mulling ideas of what comes next in my head. Let me know if there's something you'd like to see in the future (i'm considering a side-ficlet on what happened to Jeb/Glitch/Az when they were separated.) perhaps more CDG or mebbe a sequel. I'm your humble servant! I know I don't have to tell you now, because it's already happened, but to one and to all...STAY AWESOME!!! 


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